Never the Same
by LadyVisionary
Summary: The Out of the Blue series part 3. Buffy and Remus are doing their best to move on, and get used to the new turn their life has taken...but it's not easy...especially not when living on a Hellmouth.
1. Never the Same

**Never the Same**

Chapter 1 – Never the same.

DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything…

RATING: PG-13 (T) to R (M) - violence, language, angst, horror, possible mild sexual interactions, etc. If you can watch BTVS/AtS and read HP, I doubt you'll have any problem with this story.

TIMELINE: Sequel to "Out of the Blue" and "Red Horizon" (Part 3 in the series), and begin where we left in "Red Horizon" chapter 39, and a bit before BTVS season 7, though it's almost completely AU, with many changes from the real plot.

SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. Sequel to RH. _"You can run but you can't hide, evil finds you everywhere. Peace and quiet can no one provide, who said life was ever fair?"_

Starting over is something that definitely falls into the 'easier said than done'-category. Buffy and Remus are doing their best to move on, and get used to the changes and the new turn their life has taken, but it's not easy...especially not when living on a Hellmouth.

CENTRAL PAIRING: Buffy/Remus

OTHER PAIRINGS: Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya

**Special Thanks to:** **My Beta -** CharmedChick

* * *

**A/N: Well, since this is part three of the Out of the Blue series, you may want to read the first two before this if you haven't already - otherwise some things may seem confusing. (But if you'd like, you can skip this part, and jump directly to part four - Come What May. NTS doesn't really add anything important to the storyline that you can't find out through the other parts.)**

* * *

**Sunnydale, Revello Drive, November 8, 2002.**

Buffy sighed when Remus finally let go of her, and they quickly dried their eyes. No words were spoken for a long time - they were just watching each other, pain written in their faces clear as day. Finally, Buffy broke the silence.

"We should go inside..." She hesitated. "Remus...what happened?"

Remus looked down.

"Lily and James...they're...gone."

Buffy closed her eyes. When Remus had shown up, she had known something was wrong...that something had happened...but actually having it confirmed...it was like a bad dream. A very bad dream.

"And that's not all..." Remus continued, voice croaked, and Buffy's eyes flew open.

"...Eliza's gone missing. She's...well...she...she's been missing for so long...I think...I mean...everybody thinks...I mean...nobody thinks that...she's alive anymore," he finished lamely.

Buffy took a shuddering breath, trying to keep her tears at bay. It felt like her chest had been drawn together to nothing...she couldn't breath. They were all...gone? Forever?

"How?" she got out.

"We...we think...I mean, Dumbledore thinks that she was kidnapped - by her father. We don't know anything else."

Buffy felt one single tear run down her cheek.

"Lily and James...how?"

Remus took a deep breath.

"They were targeted by Voldemort...and they went into hiding...they had a Secret Keeper."

Buffy's eyes turned hard as stone.

"Who was it? Who betrayed them?" She demanded to know. "Was it Peter? I'll kill him, I'll - "

" - It was Sirius."

Buffy froze.

"What?" She choked out.

"It was Sirius," Remus repeated. "We all knew there was a traitor in the Order...it was Sirius. After James and Lily made him their Secret Keeper, he ran straight to Voldemort...and he killed them."

"N-no," Buffy said, shaking her head. "It's not true - there must be a logical explanation...Peter must have been the traitor, he - "

" - Peter's dead."

Buffy froze for the second time that day.

"He's...dead?"

Remus closed his eyes. Why did he have to tell her this?

"Sirius...he killed him."

Buffy started shaking her head again.

"No. Sirius wouldn't kill anyone...it doesn't make any sense...unless Peter betrayed Lily and James, and - "

"Buffy," Remus said sharply. "Sirius killed Peter. Peter cornered Sirius after Lily's and James' murder, demanding to know why he had betrayed them...Sirius blasted the entire street to pieces. Twelve muggles died in the process, and the only thing left of Peter...the only thing left was...his finger." Remus suddenly looked sick at his own words.

Buffy paled. Everything Remus had just told her was swirling around in her brain, desperately trying to make some sense. She didn't want to believe it...couldn't believe it. Sirius couldn't have... But another part of her brain said the opposite...Sirius was guilty...and Peter was dead...blown to pieces. She suddenly had a desperate urge to throw up. She had always been...well, not mean to Peter...but she hadn't been exactly nice either. She had always thought he was truly acting like a rat...had always suspected him...and now he was dead. She swallowed.

"Buffy?" Remus said quietly.

"We should get inside," Buffy repeated, and turned towards the door. Then suddenly, without warning, she threw herself around Remus shoulders, crying. Crying for Lily and James, crying for Eliza, crying for Peter, crying for Sirius' betrayal, crying for Harry...Harry.

"What about Harry?" She whispered. "Is he...?"

"He's alive...somehow, when Voldemort tried to kill him...the killing curse bounced back."

Buffy took a step back, eyes widening.

"What? But that isn't possible...?"

"Well, it happened," Remus said. "The curse bounced back at Voldemort and he just...disappeared. Some think he's gone, and some think he's still out there, biding his time...but for now, he's gone." He smiled wryly. "The whole wizarding world is celebrating. The 'death' of Voldemort...raising glasses in Harry's name...calling him the Boy-Who-Lived."

Buffy tried to laugh but it came out more like a choke.

"Where is he? I mean...couldn't you take him with you?"

Remus sighed, and drew his fingers though his hair, now speckled with one or two gray straws, that shone like silver in the lamplight.

"I tried...but Dumbledore insisted he was better off in the wizarding world...at the Dursley's," he finished bitterly.

"WHAT?" Buffy exploded. "The Dursley's?"

"Yeah." He laughed hollowly. "Seemed to think it was better for him to grow up with family, and much safer than to live with a werewolf somewhere across the universe."

"He must be crazy..." Buffy muttered, before taking a deep breath, trying to calm herself. This was all too muchâ€¦ "We'll have to talk more later...let's get inside."

As soon as they stepped in, they were met by Joyce and Faith, both standing in front of them with their arms crossed. Faith was smiling smugly, while Joyce was just raising an eyebrow at them.

"So, Buffy," Joyce said. "Who is this young man? Feel like introducing us?"

"Right...ehr...mom, Faith, this is Remus, you know the Remus Lupin I was telling you about..." She nervously bit her lip.

"Really, huh?" Faith said, and started to circle around Remus, looking like a huntress inspecting her pray. Suddenly, Remus felt really self-conscious.

"So this is wolf-boy, hmm?" Faith said. Remus blinked. Wolf-boy?

"Well, he certainly looks good - good enough to eat." Faith grinned, and Buffy gave her a warning look.

"Faith..."

"No worries, B. I won't steal him from you. Yet," she added with a smirk, and Buffy's eyes narrowed.

Joyce rolled her eyes at their antics, while Remus looked uncertainly from one Slayer to the other - not that he knew that Faith was a Slayer. Joyce smiled at him, and stuck out her hand for Remus to take.

"Hi. I'm Joyce Summers, Buffy's mother."

"Remus Lupin," Remus said, relaxing slightly.

"Buffy," Joyce said. "Why don't we invite the others over for lunch, so we all can get to know each other."

Buffy gave her mother a bright (false) smile.

"Sure mom! That sounds...great!"

"Excellent! Why don't you call them over here, while I talk to Remus for a bit? Faith can join us if she wants."

Remus felt himself tense up again. Great. This was just...great.

* * *

"So, Remus...you're a friend from where...Buffy was before?" 

Remus smiled at Willow. From what Buffy had told him, Willow was her best friend...although it seemed like the redhead was more of a friend to the dark haired girl, Faith, than she was Buffy's. Remus decided he'd had to ask Buffy about that later.

"Yes - boyfriend, actually," he said, giving Buffy a smile, which she returned, before looking back at her plate. Remus frowned. Buffy was so...quiet. Nothing like Remus was used to. Although, it could have something to do with what she had found out about Lily, James, Eliza, Sirius, Peter and Harry. That would be enough to shock even the strongest person.

"Right. Yeah...Buffy might have mentioned something about that..."

An awkward silence sunk down over the dinner table. It seemed like no one knew what to say, or what to talk about. Remus was confused. Weren't these Buffy's friends? So...why didn't anyone talk with each other?

Buffy cleared her throat.

"Umm...mom, do you mind if I take Remus with me and show where he can sleep?"

"Hmm, what?" Buffy's mum, Joyce, said. "Oh, right. Of course. You must be really tired." She smiled.

"Umm...a little, yes. Well...eh...thanks for the food."

He and Buffy left. When they were out of earshot, the conversation started up.

"So what do you think about wolf-boy, Will?" Faith asked. Willow grinned.

"Well, he seems like a quiet type - just like Oz - maybe it's in the werewolf-genes or something. I didn't know quiet men were Buffy's type," she mused. "But I guess Angel was pretty silent - but other than that, he and Remus seem to be total opposites."

"We wouldn't know what type Buffy prefers, now, would we?" Xander said. "After all, she's been gone for a long time. We don't know how much she's changed."

"Well, it's not like you've bothered to find out," Anya quipped, earning her stares from everyone around the table. "What? It's true!" She defended herself. "You haven't exactly been over excited about finding out what her life's been like."

Silence.

"She's right..." Tara said. "We've pushed her away."

"God, I feel so stupid..." Willow muttered. "As if it wasn't enough with me yelling at her when she came back, even though she didn't deserve it, now I've screwed up even more. How could I believe she would just fit right back in? How can I - we - have been pretending she never even left?"

"I never asked what it was like for her...over...wherever she was," Joyce said. "I'm her mother and I didn't even care..."

"And I'm her watcher," Giles said miserably. "She's my responsibility. I should have researched more...done everything in my power to find her. And when she returned...I should have taken her aside...talked to her..."

Everyone turned to Spike, who stopped chewing as he felt all eyes on him.

"What?" He said, raising his eyebrows. "You don't really expect me to go all moody and Shakespeare on you and pretend like I give a damn the Slayer's back? 'Cause I bloody welldon't."

A beat.

"Well, not really."

* * *

"Well, you'll have to share the guest room with me," Buffy said. "Faith has my room - or well, I guess it's hers now..." She trailed off. 

Remus took a deep breath.

"What has happened here, Buffy? Whenever you talked about Sunnydale back in England, you would get this wistful, longing look in your eyes, as if you were remembering something great, and I would feel jealous because I thought you had something over here that I could never compete with. But I can't honestly say I've seen anything here that indicates at that you like it here. Everyone's acting like strangers."

Buffy sighed.

"Well...I guess I never thought about how much everyone would have changed in three years. And I feel like a stranger. I'm not sure about anything anymore. Everything has changed, Rem. I feel so lost."

Remus took a step forwards, and embraced Buffy closely.

"At least we're together now," he muttered. Buffy smiled.

"Yeah...thank Merlin for that."

Remus smiled wryly.

"Well, one thing's for sure. Things will truly be different now - living on a Hellmouth and all. Things won't ever be the same."

Buffy smiled back into his chest.

"No...Never the same," she agreed.

* * *

**A/N: **And the story slash first (albeit short) chapter is up! I hope you like it, and leave a comment/review! As for other news, I know have a Live Journal. There's a link at my profile page. There, you'll be able to find wallpapers (three freshly made are already up - for the Out of the Blue series), icons, information/update infoabout my website and fanfiction and maybe some spoilers... Also,the Out of the Blueseries has been nominated for the Blue Moon Fanfiction Awards, so another YAY for that! And thank you SpikesDreamer at for nominating me! I feel really honoured! All readers: Wish me good luck! 

/Ida

* * *


	2. Tall, dark and bumpy

**Never the Same**

Chapter 2 – Tall, dark and bumpy.

DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything…

RATING: PG-13 (T) to R (M) - violence, language, angst, horror, possible mild sexual interactions, etc. If you can watch BTVS/AtS and read HP, I doubt you'll have any problem with this story.

TIMELINE: Sequel to "Out of the Blue" and "Red Horizon" (Part 3 in the series), and begin where we left in "Red Horizon" chapter 39, and a bit before BTVS season 7, though it's almost completely AU, with many changes from the real plot.

SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. Sequel to RH. _"You can run but you can't hide, evil finds you everywhere. Peace and quiet can no one provide, who said life was ever fair?" _Starting over is something that definitely falls into the 'easier said than done'-category. Buffy and Remus are doing their best to move on, and get used to the changes and the new turn their life has taken, but it's not easy...especially not when living on a Hellmouth.

CENTRAL PAIRING: Buffy/Remus

OTHER PAIRINGS: Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya

**Special Thanks to:** **My Beta -** CharmedChick

* * *

Remus frowned as he woke up in unfamiliar surroundings, and he took a quick look around, before his eyes landed on the sleeping form of Buffy beside him. And everything came crashing back to him. How Dumbledore had sent him to Buffy's dimension, and how they'd been reunited...Buffy's tears as she heard about what had happened to her friends...the awkward dinner... He pulled Buffy closer to him and buried his nose in the crook of her neck, taking in her sweet scent of vanilla. They were together again, and even though he wished the circumstances would have been a lot happier, he was grateful.

Buffy groaned slightly and rolled around, blinking slightly as she woke up. At first she looked confused, but then she grinned sleepily as she realized that it really was Remus lying beside her, and not just a dream.

"I missed this," she confessed quietly. "Waking up next to you."

Remus smiled, and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "Me too. You have no idea how much."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Buffy?" Her mother called, Joyce sounded worried. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah!" Buffy answered. "What is it?"

"I can't seem to find your friend anywhere. Where did you put him last night?"

Remus raised his eyebrows at Buffy, who flushed.

"I guess mom thought you'd sleep on one of the couches," she whispered, before turning her attention back to her mom, who was still standing behind the closed door.

"Uhh...he's in here with me. No need to worry."

Silence.

"Oh," they finally heard Joyce said. "Right. I'll just go...make some breakfast then..."

They could hear her moving away from the door and going down the stairs.

Buffy groaned in embarrassment. "She's going to want to interrogate me now," she whined, giving Remus a miserable look.

Her boyfriend just laughed, and place a quick kiss on her nose.

"I'm sure it won't be too bad," he tried to assure her. "She doesn't know anything about what your life's been like. Just explain that we shared a house back in England, and she'll realize we're serious and she'll lay off on you. Buffy? Buffy?"

Buffy had gone quiet, and she gulped. "I was just thinking about...about England. Your words made me...remember...and wonder." She looked up, tears in her eyes. "Do you think they were in pain? And what made Sirius do it?"

Remus closed his eyes. He really wasn't ready to talk about this - ever.

"Buffy...I-I don't know. But...I don't think so," he lied, hoping to comfort her and make her change the subject. Remus knew that while Lily's death had been a cause of a killing curse, and therefore quick and painless, James' hadn't been, even though it was a killing curse that finally ended it. And Peter...well...since he'd been blown to pieces- literally- he guessed it was quick- but far from painless. As for Sirius- well, he really didn't want to think about him at all.

"Come on," Remus said quietly, slipping out of the bed. "We shouldn't let your mum wait."

* * *

During the entire breakfast, Joyce gave Buffy and Remus strange and nervous looks, though neither of them noticed as they were both lost in their own painful thoughts.

Finally, Faith broke the silence. "So, B, what are you planning to do nowthat your boy's here?" She asked.

"Well...I really need to visit Angel," Buffy said slowly.

Remus stiffened. Angel. Buffy's ex, and the one she'd lost her virginity with. The one she had thought was the love of her life before she met Remus. The one she had had to send to hell, literally, before running away, unable to deal with the pain she had felt. Right. He saw no problems. There was no trouble at all...it wasn't like he needed to compete with the guy. Remus cast a quick glance at Buffy, who was taking a deep breath.

"I mean...I really have to see him. Sort some things out."

Remus jaw dropped, and Faith smirked, as she realized the werewolf wasn't too happy about Buffy meeting her ex.

"Go there? To him? In Los Angeles?" Remus asked. "But...I just arrived here!"

Buffy sighed. "I know. But I really have stalled my visit long enough as it is. I need to see him."

Faith winced. B really wasn't playing this the right way. You should never ever mention one of your exes while dating another, let alone suggest- and actually plan- a visit- to 'sort things out' - unless you tried to make the current boyfriend insanely jealous of course, or if she wanted to break up with said boyfriend. And Buffy seemed completely clueless to it all.

Remus eyes flashed amber. "You need to see him? Why not just give him a call, or something? And when did he come back to life anyway?"

Buffy's eyes widened. "I can't just give him a call! That is too impersonal!"

Faith winced again. Really. What was Buffy doing? Okay, she was blonde, so she had a little excuse for being stupid - no offense to other blondes intended -but then she noticed her hair at the scalp was a lot darker, and her eyes narrowed. So she wasn't a natural blonde...right. Then she really was an idiot.

Remus' stood up from his chair. "Fine. Go see him then. I don't care. After all, it's not as if I just traveled across the universe to get back to you or anything. I understand completely. He's your ex. I'm just your boyfriend. I'm happy to see you've got your priorities straight," he said bitterly. And with that, he stalked out of the kitchen and out of the house, slamming the door closed with a loud 'bam', not caring in the least that he was rude.

Buffy stared after him, completely befuddled. What just happened?

Faith snorted. "Great show, B. You totally blew it, you know."

Buffy turned to Faith with narrowed eyes. "And what's that supposed to mean? I need to see Angel; why can't he understand that?"

Faith rolled her eyes. "Really, B. He's your boyfriend- figure it out!"

At Buffy's clueless look, Faith let out a frustrated cry. "He's jealous!"

Buffy blinked. "Why in the world would he be jealous of Angel?"

Faith gave her an incredulous look. "Duh. Maybe because he's your ex you were insanely in love with before you met wolf-boy. Who has a point, by the way. The man just got back into your life, and now you want to go cross-country to see Angel. It's no wonder he took it the wrong way. You basically said you thought Angel more important, and would rather spend time with your ex than your current – very hot - boyfriend."

Buffy started to protest.

"I did not!"

Faith just raised her eyebrow at Buffy, who frowned as she mulled over what she'd said to Remus in her mind. She went pale. "I did, didn't I?"

"Uh-hu."

Buffy moaned and let her head fall onto the table. "Merlin, what do I do?"

"Well, first you should find him. Second, apologize. Third, kiss him senseless. Fourth, take him back to your room and enroll in some bed activities. He's a male- he'll be fine after that," Faith shrugged and then frowned. "And I can't believe I'm giving you love advice."

Joyce cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Talking about beds," she said, her face reddening. "Buffy, I'm not sure I'm alright with Remus sharing yours."

Faith snickered as Buffy groaned.

"Mom...honestly. It's not a big deal. I'm not a little girl anymore- I lived alone with Remus in a house in England. We're practically engaged."

Joyce paled. Almost engaged? Her little girl? Just yesterday she was walking around in diapers...

Buffy sighed, and drank up the last of her juice, not for the first time wishing it had a taste of pumpkin.

"Well, I'll better go find Remus and sort this mess out," she said. "Bye for now."

* * *

She didn't have to go far. Remus was sitting on the steps leading up to the house, staring aimlessly straight ahead. Buffy fingered the wolf-necklace she had under her shirt. The one Remus had given her on her eighteenth birthday...it all seemed so long ago...

"Rem..." she mumbled, sitting down beside him, and putting a hand on his shoulder. He flinched.

"I'm sorry. You mean so much to me. I love you," Buffy said, somehow knowing that that was what Remus needed to hear. This must be so confusing for him- ending up in another dimension, with nothing but awful memories of the past... Buffy knew all too well how that felt. And yet, she had gone and made it all worse.

Remus chuckled bitterly. "It didn't sounded like that in there."

"I know. I shouldn't have said those things. It came out all wrong," Buffy tried to explain. "I do need to see Angel - for a lot of reasons. Hear me out," she continued and held up a hand as Remus opened his mouth angrily.

"I have to see him, because of the way we left off. It never really ended for me, you know. I killed him, and then I come back here and find out he's alive. It's quite a shock. I need to see him so I can get him out of my system. I can't move on completely until that happens. I need it to end. For real."

Remus took a deep breath. "I guess I'm just afraid you'll leave me for him," he muttered, and Buffy's eyes widened.

"Don't say that!" She exclaimed. "Never say that! I love you. Not Angel - I may have once, but not now."

"Are you sure?" Remus said. "I mean, you can do so much better than me, Buffy. You can have anyone you wanted. I'm just a werewolf- "

" - And Angel's a vampire who's been maiming and killing for hundreds of years," Buffy countered. "That gives you the advantage, at least in my book."

Remus chuckled. "True. Still, he has a soul."

"Like you don't?" Buffy said. "Plus, he has that little problem that if he's getting any, he becomes all happy go-lucky and loses it. I don't think I could live with that- I have needs, and therefore, no plans of going celibate just to be able to go roaming in the night with tall, dark and forehead."

At this, Remus laughed out loud, and Buffy grinned.

"Tall, dark and and forehead?" Remus snorted.

Buffy shrugged. "It's Spike's nickname on Angel. I feel really bad for saying it, but it does kinda fit. At least the 'tall and dark' thing. I'd probably switch the 'forehead'-partto 'broody' though."

Remus sighed, suddenly growing serious again. "I think I can understand your need to go see him now," he muttered. "Though I'm still not happy about it, and I want to come with. I need to see what all the fuss is about."

Buffy grinned. "Great! We can apparate right away- that way, we'll be back before dinner!"

"Right. But we need to find a map of LA first, so we can pin-point the location. Neither you nor I have ever been there, and it wouldn't do for us to land somewhere in the Pacific Ocean."

Buffy gave him a kiss. "Always the practical one," she said fondly.

* * *

They landed in front of a large hotel, with a sign that read:

ANG L INV STIGATIONS- WE H LP THE H LPL SS

Buffy took a deep breath before stepping inside, Remus following. As they entered, Buffy saw a familiar looking man was leaning over a large book.

"I think your sign's missing some letters," Buffy said softly, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over her chest.

The man spun around, his mouth falling open.

"Buffy?"

"Angel," Buffy said with a small nod, walking up to him.

"They said you'd gone," Angel breathed, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"I did. And now I'm back."

Remus cleared his throat from behind them.

"Oh, right." Buffy said, not noticing Angel's eyes narrowing as he sniffed in the air.

"Angel, this is Remus. He's- "

"- A werewolf," Angel growled, taking a menacing step forwards.

Buffy rolled her eyes as Remus just smirked. "And you're a vampire. And nowthat we've all been happily introduced, why don't we all engage in a group hug?"

"Rem..." Buffy gave him a warning look, which Remus ignored.

"Who is he?" Angel asked Buffy, sounding demanding. "I don't trust him."

"And I don't trust you either," Remus said, a overly bright and wide smile on his face. "How convenient. Hey, I know! Maybe we can be best friends!"

Buffy scratched her nose in frustration. "Honestly. Guys..."

Both Remus and Angel ignored her, as they started to circle around each other.

"You her boyfriend?" Angel asked.

"Does it bother you?" Remus countered. "But yes, I am. And the proper term is 'are you her boyfriend?' Haven't you been taught proper grammar?"

"Centuries ago," Angel said calmly.

"Right. I forgot- you're old enough to be Buffy's grandfather's father's father's father, or something like that. Isn't she a little young for you?" Remus smirked.

Angel growled menacingly in his throat. "And what about you?" He asked. "You're a werewolf- why don't you go and howl at the moon or something?"

"Oh, I would," Remus said lightly. "Only, it's still light out. And the moon's the wrong phase. You see, I'm a little spoiled; I need it to be full to 'feel the tingle,' if you know what I mean?"

"You might need a moon to go all fluffy," Angel said. "But I don't." And with that, he vamped out.

Remus raised his eyebrows. "I don't see any fluff here. It looks a little bumpy to me. At least I know the reason to why Spike calls you tall, dark and forehead now. It suits you," he said half serious, as he nodded solemnly.

"STOP IT!" Buffy yelled, and both Angel and Remus turned to look at her, Remus blushing slightly and Angel looking sheepish as he transformed back.

"For Merlin's sake, you're acting like an old married couple!"

Both Remus and Angel gave her (and each other) horrified and disgusted looks, before inching away from each other. Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Really, guys. This I might have expected from you, Angel- "

At this, Angel spluttered indignantly, while Remus smirked.

" - But not from you, Remus. From Sirius, certainly, and maybe even from James, but - " she abruptly stopped talking, and got a pained look in her eyes. Remus' smirk had died. Angel just looked confused at her sudden silence. "Buffy?"

"Huh? Oh, right...Remus, do you think you could go outside for a minute while Angel and I talk?"

Angel, who had expected Remus to immediately protest, looked surprised as he just nodded and walked out, looking rather subdued. As soon as the door closed behind him, Angel turned to Buffy.

"What was that all about?"

Buffy sighed. "Never mind. It's a long story..."

"I've got all time in the world," Angel said. "I'm not getting any older."

Buffy smiled slightly. "That may be true, but to be honest, I'm not ready to tell you."

Angel nodded. "Right. So..."

"So..."

"So maybe I should start. Buffy...where were you? After I came back to life, the only thing the others would tell me was that you'd disappeared after you killed me. Only they made it sound like you deserted them. Did you?"

"No," Buffy said softly. "I didn't. Okay, maybe I did. But...I needed to get away- distance myself from everything, you know? And I was planning to come back...but somehow I got stuck in another dimension instead..."

* * *

Several minutes later

"Wow..." Angel said softly, and gave Buffy a hug. "I'm so sorry, Buffy...It must have been so hard for you."

Buffy smiled through tearstained eyes. It had been hard to talk about what she had gone through in England, but she was grateful that she had gotten a chance to ease her heart up to somebody, even if it wasn't Remus. In fact, Buffy doubted Remus would ever be able to talk about it. "Yeah...well...I shouldn't keep Remus waiting for much longer. We should probably get back to SunnyD."

"Right," Angel said, giving Buffy a last hug. "Take care of yourself."

"You too," Buffy said, and walked out of the door and up to Remus, who was standing outside, looking immensely bored.

"Wait!" Angel said, stopping Buffy, who had just placed her hand in Remus'. "How are you getting back? Bus? Plane?"

Buffy just grinned. "Magic."

And with that, both she and Remus disappeared with a small 'crack,' leaving Angel to stare at the spot they had occupied only a half-second earlier, looking confounded.

"What the- "

* * *

CRACK!

Buffy and Remus landed inside the kitchen, startling the occupants which were eating dinner: In fact, Xander fell out of his chair.

"Hi," Buffy said, sounding sheepish. "Sorry if we startled you."

"Where did you go, Buffy?" Willow asked, sounding rather timid. She feltway guilty for pretty much ignoring Buffy since her return. "Faith said you went out to find...eh...Remus, was it?."

Remus nodded. "Yes. And in answer to your question, we took a quick trip to LA and met up with tall, dark and bumpy."

Thepeople in the room stared at him. And then, Xander burst out laughing.

"Tall, dark and bumpy!" He snorted. "I love it! Beats even tall, dark and forehead! I like you, man," Xander finished, and gave Remus a high five.

Buffy just sighed, shaking her head.

"For Merlin's sake..." she muttered. "So, Willow, what brings you and Xander over?"

"Well, Xander wanted to brag to your mum about the new Sunnydale High he helped build."

Buffy blinked. "The new Sunnydale High? What happened to the old one?"

"Oh, we blew that one up," Xander said.

Remus stared at him. "You blew up a school?"

"Yep," Faith said. "But it was all for the greater good."

"Right..."

"Anyway," Xander said, turning to Buffy and Remus, who still looked shocked. "Do you want to see it?"

* * *

"...It is my great pleasure and privilege to announce the official opening - on the very ground that it first stood upon - of the brand new state of the art Sunnydale High!"

Buffy and Remus clapped politely, as the dark man cut off the large red ribbon that hung in front of the new school, which Buffy had to admit, look a lot more impressive than the old one.

"Well," she asked Remus. "Should we head home?"

"No," Remus answered, shaking his head. "I want to have a look around. See what kind of school you went to."

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "You do know it wasn't this one, right?"

"I know. But it is a High School."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you though..."

* * *

"Right..." Buffy told Remus, several minutes later. "And that was the bathroom -I think we've seen everything now."

"Not everything," a voice said from behind her. "You haven't met me yet."

Buffy spun around, and came face to face with the principal she'd seen cutting of the rope earlier.

"Hi," the man said. "I'm Robin Wood. New Principal."

Buffy stared, and then remembered her manners. "Oh, hi! I'm Buffy Summers, and this is Remus Lupin."

Remus nodded at him. "Hello."

Wood smiled, revealing a line of perfectly white teeth. "Aren't you a little old to go to school?"

"Huh? Oh right, of course, but we're just having a look around."

Wood nodded, still grinning. "I understand- I was just joking. And do you like what you've seen?"

"Yeah, I guess. It's really...clean," Buffy finished lamely, earning herself a laugh from the tall principal.

"For now," Wood agreed. "However, give the students a week, and it will be all nice and dirty."

Buffy smiled. "Yeah..."

"So what are you doing here, Miss Summers? Because really, people who have graduated- or in your case, been expelled, don't usually return."

Buffy blinked. "You know about that?"

Wood laughed. "I know a lot about you- largest file on any ex-student I've ever seen."

Buffy forced out an uncomfortable smile. "I'm sure."

"Still," Wood mused. "I think you belong here. You never really let go of this place -it never really ended. Listen, I know this school's reputation. I did not get this job based on seniority- I was the only one who wanted it. And we've got a lot of troubled students here, and just enough money to keep this place from caving in."

"Get to the point," Buffy said impatiently. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm offering you a job, Miss Summers," Wood said calmly. "As a sort of a guidance counselor."

Buffy jaw hit the floor.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes," Wood said. "Though the money we could pay you...wouldn't even fold. And it would only be a couple of days a week. I think the kids could use someone, you know, closer to their age, who's had a little rebellious past herself and knows what it's like- "

"I'm in!" Buffy interrupted. Both Remus and Wood stared at her.

"What? Are you serious?" Wood asked. "You - you did hear the part about the money, right?

Buffy shrugged, and gave Remus a look. "Yeah, I heard. My schedule might be a little funtastic, but, uh, I'll work it out. I'd like to keep an eye on this place."

Wood broke out into another smile.

"Well, that's great. Look at that. It's not even noon, and I've already bullied someone into helping out. I'm going to be the best principal ever!"

And with that, he walked a way, leaving Remus and Buffy alone in the corridor.

"Are you sure about this?" Remus said dubiously.

Buffy shrugged.

"Yeah, I mean, like he said, it's just for a couple of days a week, and I'd rather be here than asitting duck somewhere...though knowing my luck, I'll probably be fired soon, in which case I'll try to study to become a muggle nurse or something. I plan to do that anyway, just not right now."

Remus nodded, still looking unsure. "Well, if you're certain..."

Buffy gave him a kiss. "I'm certain. Come on. Let's get the hell out of this place before I get cold feet. It kinda creeps me out."

"And yet, you just agreed to work here," Remus said, humor clearly visible in his voice. Buffy came to a quick stop, and she paled.

"I just did, didn't I?"

Remus noddded. "Uh-hu."

Buffy whimpered. "I am so doomed..."

* * *

**A/N: **And chapter two is up! Right now, it may seem as if I'm making this out to be a replica of seson 7, but I'm really not - there will be a lot of changes - things will play out in different ways, we'll see things playing out that wasn't in the series but only mentioned(for example, when Giles was gathering Potential Slayers, etc.). Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter- and I think I can please you by promising the majority of the chapter will be this length or longer - with other words, a lot longer than the chapters for OOTB and RH. Please REVIEW! Review responses that might need a bit more placecan be found at myLiveJournal, and as usual, responses will also be sent out as Private Messages to the reviewer thanks to the very nifty Review response feature at this site.Until next update, people!

/Ida

* * *


	3. A little more tact

**Never the Same**

Chapter 3 – A little more tact.

DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything…

RATING: PG-13 (T) to R (M) - violence, language, angst, horror, possible mild sexual interactions, etc. If you can watch BTVS/AtS and read HP, I doubt you'll have any problem with this story.

TIMELINE: Sequel to "Out of the Blue" and "Red Horizon" (Part 3 in the series), and begin where we left in "Red Horizon" chapter 39, and a bit before BTVS season 7, though it's almost completely AU, with many changes from the real plot.

SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. Sequel to RH. _"You can run but you can't hide, evil finds you everywhere. Peace and quiet can no one provide, who said life was ever fair?" _Starting over is something that definitely falls into the 'easier said than done'-category. Buffy and Remus are doing their best to move on, and get used to the changes and the new turn their life has taken, but it's not easy...especially not when living on a Hellmouth.

CENTRAL PAIRING: Buffy/Remus

OTHER PAIRINGS: Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya

**Special Thanks to:** **My Beta -** CharmedChick

* * *

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Buffy pouted, frowning, even though she wasn't really mad. It felt like there now was a small crack in the earlier fat, thick ice that was in big need of breaking. "Stop laughing! It's not funny!"

Xander hastily recovered from his laughing fit. "You're right. It's not. HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Buffy's eyes narrowed and she glared at Xander, before she brandished her wand threateningly, waving it in his direction. "Hey! Watch who you're teasing here! I'm a bad ass witch, and if you're not careful, I'm gonna turn you into a bitch!"

"Woof!"

Remus stared at Buffy, who's eyes had widened comically.

"Oops?" She tried.

Willow gulped. "Okay...we know he was laughing about your knew job...but was that...really necessary?"

Tara's jaw had hit the floor. "Y-you just...turned Xander into a dog?"

Buffy scratched her head nervously. "I guess I did...but I didn't mean to! I was just gonna scare him a little!"_ 'Try to make things the way it was...before I left...'_

"Well, I say you succeeded," Remus stated, smirking. "But...maybe you should turn him back now. And why did that spell work anyway? It wasn't a real one! It was horrible!"

"Hey!" Buffy glared. "Watch it, or you'll find it onyourself next!"

Remus hastily put up his hands in surrender. "Fine, fine...now, turn him back."

Buffy rolled her eyes, and pointed her wand at Xander-the-dog. "Fini...hey! Stay here, buddy!"

Remus rubbed himself over the face tiredly, as Buffy went racing after Xander-the-dog, who had run out of the room, clearly terrified of Buffy's wand. "What did I do to deserve this?" He pulled up his wand and pointed it in the direction Xander and Buffy had run off. "ACCIO XANDER-THE...BITCH!"

"Xander" let out a loud yelp, as he suddenly found himself soaring towards Remus, who quickly followed up his summoning spell with a 'FINITE INCANTATUM!'

"OUCH!" Xander rubbed his back as he landed on the floor, and Buffy came running back in.

"Thanks," she told Remus, who just sighed and shook his head at her.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I've missed you so much- your magical accidents included."

Buffy grinned. "I missed you too."

Xander gave her a long, incredulous look. "You're out of your mind. Both of you," he finally said. "What the hell was that?"

"Magic," Remus supplemented. "Don't feel bad: You're not her first victim. And, since the last one ended up a turkey, consider yourself lucky."

"Sorry to interrupt the bonding time," Giles said, coming into the room while cleaning his glasses. "But I'm afraid we might stand in front of another apocalypse."

Buffy slumped down in a chair, sighing. "Yep. I must be back in Sunnydale..."

* * *

"Something's killing Slayers?"

"Potential Slayers, actually," Giles said. "Waiting for one to be called. There were many more like them all over the world, but now there's just a handful. The rest...well...the rest have been murdered."

"Oh My God," Willow mumbled. "That's horrible!"

"So what do we do?"

"I suggest we kill who ever's doing it and kick its ass," Faith said, standing up, hitting her right fist into her left hand.

"Yeah," Xander agreed. "Except the tiny little problem we have with not knowing who 'it' is."

"Well, then, let's find out. Hit the books," Faith said, shrugging. "Find any demons who likes to kill Slayers."

"Ehrrr...right," Spike snorted. "Because there's so few of them. Who doesn't want to kill Slayers?"

"As much as I hate to admit it, Spike's right," Buffy groaned. "We should go at it from another angle. Find the Potentials and protect them."

"Who died and made you boss?" Faith snapped. "We're not running things your way anymore. You disappeared- "

"Buffy has the right idea, Faith," Giles sighed and Faith crossed her arms defiantly, not happy that she now had competition. "We need to protect the Potentials. And to do that, we need to bring them here."

"Yeah," Xander nodded. "Bring them to the Hellmouth. Great idea." He frowned. "Actually, it's not. What are we thinking?"

"Better here than alone out there," Giles said. "Remus, lets go." Giles started to walk towards the door.

"Whoawhoa!" Buffy said, holding up her hands. "What?"

"I need to find and bring the Potential Slayers here. It's easier if there's two of us," Giles stated plainly. "And Remus is the only one who isn't busy with other things."

"I am?" Remus asked, sounding confused.

Buffy glared at Giles. "So you think it's up to you to decide? He has barely arrived and now you want him to go gallivanting with you across the world?"

"That about sums it up, yes."

"Forget it."

"I'll go."

Buffy turned to stare at Remus. "Are you out of your bloody mind?" Buffy said, incredulously.

"I still can't wrap my head around the fact that she has become all English," Willow whispered to Tara, who smiled, thinking maybe things would be alright between the forner best friends.

"You're just going to take off?" Buffy asked. "I just got you back..."

"What do you want me to do? Sit around here, humming to myself, while you're off at your new job?"

"I'll quit! I'll turn down the offer!" Buffy sounded almost panicky. "I need you here."

"I know. And I need you too. But I'm still adjusting to this...new...very...modern world. My mind is still stuck in the nineteen eighties. And I need to keep myself occupied. I need to be doing something. Something useful."

Buffy lowered her eyes to the floor in defeat. "Fine...go."

Remus gave her a long, searching look. "Are you certain you're okay with it?"

Buffy looked up, her lips twitching slightly. "Yes. I suppose I am. But you should leave before I change my mind."

Remus nodded. "Right. You'll still be here when I get back?"

This time, Buffy grinned openly, giving him a long hug. "Where else would I go?" She whispered.

* * *

"So...where do we start?"

"Well, Robson, my source, gave me a list of five Potential Slayers. There's one in New York, where I suggest we start as it's closest. Then we have two in England, another one in Spain and a last one in Australia."

"Only five?"

"Well, it's a start," Giles shrugged. "After that, I suppose the Council is our next source of information. Though we didn't part on the best of terms, so they may not be too helpful."

"What happened?"

"Long story," Giles sighed. "Though the short version is we...kind of took a stand against them," he flushed, but at the same time looked a bit proud. "Faith really handled that excellently. I doubt Buffy could've - "

"- Could've what?" Remus eyes narrowed. "Done as well? A lot of faith you have in her."

Giles coughed uncomfortably. "Well...I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound...disrespectful. I don't doubt Buffy's abilities, she was a very good Slayer, and I love her and I'm sure she would have turned out just fine. I'm proud of her. But she doesn't have the same- spirit - that Faith has. I don't think Buffy...enjoys her calling the way Faith does."

"So that makes her less?" Remus said, his voice raising a little.

"No no, that's not what I meant at all!" Giles protested.

"Funny that's how it sounded," Remus snapped. "I can't believe you people! She comes back, and you either dismiss her like she's nothing or take her for granted! I get that you've changed- she has as well; no one stays the same forever -but you could at least take a little interest in her! You...you just...do you have any idea how much she missed you?"

Giles threw his head back, sighing. "We missed her as well. We are trying- we know how we acted was wrong - is wrong. It's just...difficult. Complicated."

"No!" Remus protested. "How complicated can it be! A dear friend of yours disappears for years and then returns. You should have welcomed her back with open arms! Friendsaren't something you just dismiss orare easily found! If any friend of mine returned like Buffy did to you, I'd shout with joy at the second chance!" Tears were burning in his eyes, and he quickly turned his head towards the window, not wanting to show weakness.

'James...Lily...Eliza...Peter...hell, even you, Sirius...I miss you. Come back...to to the way we used to be...'

Giles glanced at Remus, seeing the younger man's tears, but quickly returned his attention to the road in respect for Remus' silent grief, not wanting to intrude. "I know. God knows you're right. And things will get better. They will..."

* * *

"So, Buff," Xander said, throwing an arm around Buffy. "What say you of a little chat over a coffee? Or maybe it's tea nowadays?"

Buffy smiled. "Coffee's just fine."

Willow sighed in mock-relief, setting herself down by the kitchen table. "Thank God! You haven't turned completely English on us!" Xander, Buffy and Willow laughed, but slowly, silence settled down over the room. The kind of heavy, uncomfortable silence in which you can hear a pin drop.

Buffy looked down at her hands uncomfortably. "So. The weather's nice," she finally supplemented.

"Yeah!" Xander agreed. "Really sunny."

Silence.

Buffy felt her cheeks heat up. _'What was I thinking...'the weather is nice?' Great way to break the ice, Buffy, you dolt...'_

"I think it's gonna rain though," Willow added.

Silence.

Xander nodded. "Yeah. Rain. Wetness. Lots of it. Cause...rain is wet. And all...watery...and...wet."

Silence.

* * *

Ding. Dong.

"Yes?"

"Uhh...we're looking for...Kennedy?"

"She's not in."

BAM.

The door closed on them, leaving Giles and Remus standing on the doorstep to the very large and exclusive looking building.

"Right," Giles stated. "That went well."

"Should we...knock again? And ask where she is?" Remus wondered. "Or I could do a tracking spell? Although I'm not too sure of the accuracy...possibly apparition...might be risky though..."

Giles stared at him like he was mad.

"Alright," Remus finally said. "I've made up my mind. Grab my arm, and give me that photo you had of her."

"Ehrr...alright," Giles agreed, sounding confused, as he pulled up a photo from his pocket and grabbed Remus arm tentatively. Remus frowned and stared at the photo for a long time, before finally nodding and giving it back to Giles.

"You have to hold on harder, unless you want to be splinched."

"Splinched? Whaaaa- "

CRACK!

* * *

CRACK!

"DUCK!" Remus yelled as he realized they'd landed in the middle of an ambush. Giles quickly ducked to the ground, right on time, as a knife zipped passed where his head had been only moments ago. Remus took a quick look around, and immediately spotted a furious dark-haired girl with olive-skin in the middle of the ambush, fighting for all she was worth with the men around her...the men without eyes. In a corner a wide-eyed person in a gray suit was laying, gutted up like fish, and Remus realized that must have been Kennedy's Watcher.

He pulled out his wand, and shot of a spell- not a moment too late- as one of the eyeless men came rushing towards him at full speed. Remus felt his werewolf senses go onto full alert, and his body being filled with adrenaline, as he rushed into the fray.

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?" Kennedy yelled, as Remus took up a position behind her, covering her back.

"A friend," Remus said simply, shooting of a stunner. "You looked like you could use some help."

"YEAH?" Kennedy snapped, as she broke one of the men's necks. "MAYBE I DON'T NEED HELP! I CAN HANDLE THEM!"

"That's not what it looked like from where I was standing," Remus said calmly, not in the least affected by the Potential's angry tone. Kennedy just glared in response, killing the last of the attackers with a sword to the chest, before she took up a fighting stance against Remus.

"I ask you again - who the fuck are you?" She growled. "And what the hell is up with that stick?"

"My name's Remus Lupin," Remus said, just as calmly as before. "I'm coming from Sunnydale. I believe you've heard of the Slayer?"

* * *

"This sucks," Kennedy snapped irritably, as she, Remus and Giles landed with another loud CRACK in the middle of a very rainy England. "I don't see the point of this. Two of the Potentials you were supposed to help where already dead when you got there. What makes you think the English chicks are any different? And did I tell you how much I hate the magic transportation? If it's magic at all. Personally, I doubt it."

Remus rolled his eyes, rubbing his nose tiredly, wondering not for the first time how he'd been able to keep himself from killing the very annoying girl himself, on their trip across countries. However, it seemed as if Giles was of another opinion as he simply smiled at Kennedy.

"Well, we helped you, didn't we?"

Kennedy snorted. "I had it all under control."

"Yeah?" Remus snapped, his patience finally breaking. It had beena few verystressful days, and it was getting to even the normally level-headed werewolf. "That's not what it looks like, if your dead Watcher on the ground was any hint of how you 'had it all under control!'"

That shut her up. _Finally._

* * *

Buffy whistled softly to herself as she walked around patrolling the city. Things were still a bit strained between herself and the Scoobies, but after the talk they'd had- after they'd stopped dancing around the subject with the weather and other useless subjects- she felt a lot better.****

Flashback

Xander nodded. "Yeah. Rain. Wetness. Lots of it. Cause...rain is wet. And all...watery...and...wet."

Silence.

Finally, Buffy sighed. "Guys...is there a point to this very pointless conversation? Or can I just go back to pretending all is well and good with the world?"

Willow and Xander gave each other nervous looks. "Well...you see, Buffy," Willow said. "We just...wanted to...you know...talk. Get to know each other. Again."

Buffy blinked. "Okay. I'm listening."

"WE'RE REALLY SORRY!" Xander blurted - yelled - out, making Buffy sit up quickly in her seat with shock. Willow elbowed him sharply in the ribs, before turning her attention back to Buffy.

"What he said," she added, then frowned. "Although with a little more tact."

Buffy's lips twitched.

"Yeah," Xander repeated, rubbing his sore ribs while glaring at the red-head. "You know...we never meant ignoring you when you returned. It was stupid of us to think things would go right back to normal. So...sorry. Friends?"

Buffy stared at Xander's outstretched hand stupidly. That was it? That was all the apology she would get for being yelled at, screamed at, ignored, overlooked and hurt by her supposedly best friends? Then she saw Willow's and Xander's hopeful faces, and realized she didn't have the energy needed to fight. They truly where sorry, and although they could have said it with a bit more finesse, they had apologized...so it was now up to her to be the magnanimous grown-up friend.

"Yeah, sure," she sighed. "Well, I'm not saying things are great between us right now, because, let's face it, they aren't. But they will be. Just...let's give it time, okay?"

Willow and Xander smiled, relieved. Maybe things would be better now when the first step was made, and the first brick of the very high wall was taken down. They just needed time.

End flasback

Buffy hummed a little, as she twirled her stake in one hand, and her wand in the other. As tactless and idiotic astheir apology and conversation had been, things already felt a lot better. And for the first time in a long time, she really felt that things would work out for the best.

* * *

**A/N: **Third chapter up! Hope you liked the chapter, and that you keep on reading slash REVIEWING! Answers as Private Review Responses and in my LJ as usual (who knows? you might snap up some spoiler "accidentally" left behind -hinthint-). This story is already halfway done (it will be fifteen chapters, tops), so updates will be quicker then for my other stories. See ya in next chapter!

/Ida

* * *


	4. Tug and pull

**Never the Same**

Chapter 4 – Tug and pull.

DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything…

RATING: PG-13 (T) to R (M) - violence, language, angst, horror, possible mild sexual interactions, etc. If you can watch BTVS/AtS and read HP, I doubt you'll have any problem with this story.

TIMELINE: Sequel to "Out of the Blue" and "Red Horizon" (Part 3 in the series), and begin where we left in "Red Horizon" chapter 39, and a bit before BTVS season 7, though it's almost completely AU, with many changes from the real plot.

SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. Sequel to RH. _"You can run but you can't hide, evil finds you everywhere. Peace and quiet can no one provide, who said life was ever fair?"_

Starting over is something that definitely falls into the 'easier said than done'-category. Buffy and Remus are doing their best to move on, and get used to the changes and the new turn their life has taken, but it's not easy...especially not when living on a Hellmouth.

CENTRAL PAIRING: Buffy/Remus

OTHER PAIRINGS: Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya

**Special Thanks to:** **My Beta –** CharmedChick

* * *

Remus gritted his teeth hard together in a last desperate attempt at keeping his very prominent headache in check. As if Kennedy hadn't been enough, she now had company in the 'very annoying and very spoiled' department, and they both did nothing but bicker. He wondered what in Merlin's name he'd done to deserve this.

"NO!"

"YES!"

"NO!"

"SHUT UP!"

"For Merlin's sake can both of you shut your bloody traps!" Remus exploded, giving Kennedy and the other Potential, Annabelle, a glare. "Eat your food so we can get the hell out of here."

"But it's meat," Annabelle whined, poking at her hamburger with her fork. "It's cow! I can't eat a cow! Just think about the pain it must have been going through, all scared and small and helpless..."

Remus took a deep breath, counting backwards from ten. Where the hell was Giles? The former watcher had left the diner several minutes ago, to go to the loo. Inwardly, Remus snorted. Yeah, right. It was more likely he'd seen the opportunity to escape the very frustrating company for a few minutes, leaving Remus to suffer alone...

"Well, eat the bread then," Remus said, giving Annabelle a forced smile.

"But it's egg in it!" Annabelle said, staring at him wide-eyed, as if she couldn't believe how barbaric he was being. "Raw chicken-babies, forcibly taken from their suffering mother..."

Kennedy let out a snort from across the table. All over the diner, the guests gave Annabelle looks of either digust, disbelief or amusement. Remus closed his eyes in frustrated defeat.

'Don't strangle her, don't strangle her...'

"I doubt you not eating them will make any difference for their suffering mother- oh, wait, the mother's probably in the butcher shop by now," Kennedy said. "Along with the no longer crowing rooster and any other family members the poor chicken had, before being put in the dough and stuffed into the hot, burning oven..."

Annabelle's lower lip started to tremble.

"How can you say that?" She whispered. "How can you not feel for them? How can you be so...so...cold!" Annabelle let out a sob, choking slightly. "I'm sorry. I can't be in here- I need to get out...this entire room screams with the sounds from the slaughtered innocents..." She pushed her chair away from the table, and quickly left, running out of the diner.

"Watch out so the ghosts of your slaughtered innocents don't hunt you down for abandoning them in their time of need!" Kennedy yelled after her. The only answer she got was a long suffering wail. Kennedy smirked and put her teeth into Annabelle's hamburger, which she grabbed from across the table.

"Mhmm...grilled cow..."

That's when Giles returned.

"What's wrong with Annabelle?" he wondered, giving Remus a questioning look. Remus let his head fall to the table with a loud 'thud'.

* * *

"So, when those guys with the hoodies and the crazy alphabet eyes came charging in, I panicked, right? And then my Watcher told me to hide, and I hid, in the wardrobe, right? And I could hear them fighting, and then it was all quiet, and I peeked out, and I saw my watcher lying there in his own blood, with his head torn off, right? And then Mr. Lupin came in, covered in blood from killing the guys who killed my watcher, and that was so awesome!"

Kennedy raised her eyebrows at the new Potential, Molly. "For almost being killed and for hearing your mentor die you seem awfully cheery."

"Oh, believe me, I'm not. I threw up. A lot. And I'll have nightmares for years to come, but my psychologist says it helps to talk about it," Molly smiled brightly, and Kennedy gave Molly a look that clearly said 'you're out of your mind'.

"Right..."

"Well, the plane-tickets homeare bought, so we shouldbe going," Remus said, as he stepped inside the hotel-room along with Giles. "Or else we won't have time to do that thing before the plane leaves," he said, with a meaningful look at Giles.

"Why can't we do that cool cracking thing you did with me?" Molly pouted, staring up at Remus with admiration. "That was so cool."

"Well, I can't do it with all of you," Remus said. "It takes too much energy. I did it with Giles and Kennedy across borders, and that was nauseating. I barely made it. If I try it again, with two more, I'll splinch."

"See, that's that word again," Giles frowned. "Splinched. What does that mean?"

"When your body parts all end up in different parts of the world," Remus said. "For example, a hand in India and a leg in America, while your head is left behind."

"Wicked!" Molly exclaimed, looking ecstatic, while Giles looked slightly green.

* * *

"This is insane," Annabelle hissed. "Stealing from the Watcher's Council, are you mad? We will be arrested for sure!"

"Shut up, Annebelle," Kennedy hissed back. "Or do you want to get caught?"

For once, Remus agreed- although silently.

"This is so cool!" Molly giggled. "We're like, super-villains, going prowling in the night, right in the middle of the wolf's nest, fighting the good fight. Stealing from the rich, giving to the poor..."

Kennedy rolled her eyes. "You're not Robin Hood, Sherlock," she hissed. "We're not giving anything to the poor, we're taking it ourselves."

"Well, then I'm maid Marion!" Molly grinned. "Remus is Robin, and he's just saved me from the evil Prince John, and now we're on the run, stealing for ourselves so we can survive in this harsh cruel world!"

Remus stared at Molly incredulously. Okay...he'd heard of how people being rescued sometimes started to look up to their savior, but this was ridiculous. She was just a kid! Fifteen, tops. And, he was engaged! Just as he was about to tell her that - kindly, of course - he was a gentleman, after all - Annabelle interrupted.

"Can you be serious?" She snapped. "If we are going to do this, let's do it right." She turned to Giles. "What are your orders, sir?"

Giles blinked. "Eh..."

Remus sighed. "Your orders are to be quiet, before I put a silencing spell on you. All of you," he added, as Kennedy opened her mouth to protest.

"You can do that?" Molly said. "Cool! You're like, the Wizard of Oz, or something!"

"The Wizard of Oz wasn't a wizard at all," Kennedy snapped. "And I thought he was Robin Hood a moment ago?"

"Oh, you're right!" Molly said, wide-eyed. "He'll have to be Houdini, instead."

"He still can't be both Robin Hood and Houdini," Annabelle said, making her way into the conversation. "It's physiologically impossible," she finished importantly. "How would that look?"

Remus stared at Annabelle, for the moment forgetting about the promised silencing spell. Physiologically impossible? _What's wrong with that girl? She so needs a hobby...'_

Molly pouted. "You're no fun." But then she brightened. "But he's a wizard! Of course he can be both!"

It was Giles' turn to snap. "For the love of all that's holy, please, be quiet!"

"What are you doing up there, Mr. Giles?" Annabelle said, ignoring his plea. "We've been standing still for an awfully long time."

"I need to pick this lock," Giles said.

"Why can't Remus magically fix it? He can do anything!"

Remus' lips twitched. Well...maybe he would wait with telling her off- having an admirer was kind of flattering- very ego-boosting. Merlin knows he needed that.

"I have to do it the good old honest way, unless we want the alarms to sound," Giles explained not so patiently.

Remus rubbed his head. Honestly... "If you haven't managed it yet during the fifteen minutes we've been standing here, I doubt you will be able to do it," he said. "Give me that." He stretched out his hand, palm upwards, nodding towards the hairpin Giles was using.

"No!" Giles snapped childishly. "The hairpin is mine -give me another minute."

"Whatever," Remus rolled his eyes, then frowned. "And why do you walk around with a hairpin in your pocket anyway?"

Giles flushed. "You never know when it might be needed."

Tenminutes later...

"Give me the hairpin, Giles."

"NO!"

"Yes."

"NO!"

"Yes!"

"NO!

Remus grabbed the hairpin, and started to tug at it, trying to take it from Giles with force. Giles refused to let go, and tugged back.

"NO!"

"YES!"

What happened next was what the three potentials would later call the 'tug and pull'-war. Remus and Giles each grabbed hold of one endof the hairpin, both refusing to give up, while Molly was cheering on Remus, Annabelle cheering on Giles, and Kennedy complaining about how ridiculous they were being.

"Don't let go, Remus! You can beat the old man easy!"

"You can do it, Mr. Giles! Show him who's the boss!"

"Oh, for Heaven's sake, which ones're supposed to be the adults here!"

"OUCH!" Giles had finally lost, and promptly fell on his butt. Remus held up the hair-pin triumphantly, before pushing it into the lock.

"Oh, it doesn't matter. You can have it," Giles grumbled. "You can't do it anyway. It's really difficult- "

CLICK.

The door swung open. Remus grinned, and Molly stared at him, eyes glassy.

"You're my hero..."

"How did you do it?" Giles whined. "You must have cheated!"

Remus rolled his eyes, holding the door open.

"Let's find the papers, and then get out. I don't want to stay here longer than necessary."

* * *

Xander, Anya, Willow, Tara, Faith, Spike, Buffy and Joyce sat calmly eating dinner, talking and gibbering, when suddenly the windows smashed and the doors broke down. Joyce screamed as men with no eyes, covered from head to toe in long, black hooded robes jumped inside. Buffy immediately sprung into action along with Faith and Spike, kicking, fighting and maiming their attackers with their bodies, and in Buffy's case, magic, while Xander and Anya used whatever furniture that was available. Willow and Tara did their best to protect Joyce with their own wiccan magic. The odds where on their side, and soon the men was lying slain on the floor.

"Is this it?" Xander said, brushing away some dust from his clothes, while kicking at one of the dead men with disgust. "I thought there would be more of them."

Willow shrugged, picking up a first aid kit, looking around at her friends in search of eventual damage that would need to be bandaged. "I thought so too...still, they caught usby surprise."

"What are they?" Tara wondered. "Robes and no eyes...that's nothing like we've faced before."

Faith was silent, as she looked around the room at all the broken furniture.

"I guess the house needs another make-over," Xander joked. "Or what do you say, Faith? Faith?"

Faith looked up. "I've fought them before," she said slowly. "I know these guys. We aren't being hunted. This isn't some demon. It's all the same thing. I know what we're up against. The First. These are called the Bringers, or Harbingers, doing his bidding."

"Bringers? The First?" Buffy stated, kneeling down to inspect one of robed people- a Bringer - who was lying face up on the floor. "What are- "

Buffy let out a gasp and dropped her wand, as the 'dead' Bringer she'd been inspected suddenly jumped up, and grabbed her around the throat, choking her.

"Buffy!" Willow exclaimed. Faith quickly rushed towards the Bringer, who swatted her away, before jumping out through the window, with Buffy, and rushing into the night, leaving the Scoobies standing in the demolished living room, frozen in shock.

* * *

"I can't belive they blew up the Headquarters," Molly whispered, leaning against Remus, wide-eyed, scared and tired. For the first time, she looked like the young teenage girl that she was. "Whoever they are."

Remus, Giles, and the three potentials where sitting on a plane back to Sunnydale, Remus with an arm around the youngest Potential, doing his best to comfort her.

"Well, at least we got the records," Giles said, wiping his glasses.

"Yeah," Kennedy nodded. "And that's what matters."

"How can you say that?" Annabelle protested. "The Council were our superiors! We should be grieving! I still don't understand why we broke in - we could have talked to them, then maybe they would have gone with us, we would still have the information and they would be alive."

"I don't think you understand how the Council works," Giles said. "Sure, we could have talked to them, but I doubt it would have made a difference. The Council is not on the best of terms with me- or Faith, for that matter."

"The Slayer, right?" Kennedy said. "What's she like?"

"She's very...free-spirited," Giles finally said.

"Like a hippie?" Molly hiccuped. Remus snorted.

"No, not like a hippie. And she's not the only Slayer. There's another one too. Buffy Summers."

"Buffy...wasn't she the Slayer that disappeared? Abandoned her mission?" Annabelle said in distaste. Remus' eyes flared.

"She did not abandon her mission. The reason she disappeared was because she was flung into another dimension and couldn't find any means to return. Until now."

"So she's in Sunnydale too?" Molly asked. "With the other Slayer? That is so cool!"

"How do you know Buffy wasn't lying about that other dimension?" Annabelle wondered. "Sounds a little far-fetched to me. And how can there be two Slayers anyway?"

Remus eyes flashed. "I'm the proof," he said. "I'm from the same dimension she was in.

"You're from another dimension? That's wicked!" Molly gushed.

"Well, how can there be two Slayers?" Kennedy wondered. "Is that even possible?"

"Yes, apparently," Giles said. "I'm surprised you haven't heard of it from your Watchers. Buffy was dead for a few minutes when she was sixteen, drowned by the Master. She was then revived, by her friend, Xander who you'll meet when we arrive in Sunnydale. However, her death, no matter how short, was enough to activate another Slayer, Kendra. When she died, Faith was called."

"So Faith's the real Slayer then? And the better one, considering she hasn't died." Kennedy mused, nodding to herself, not noticing how Remus tensed up. Molly, who was still leaning against him though, felt it, and also heard a low growl coming from his throat, and she gave him another wide-eyed look.

"Well," Giles coughed uncomfortably. "They are both Slayers, and both real. And I would presume just as good, although I might be a bit biased towards Faith, considering she had a little more training."

Remus closed his fists hard together, trying not to scream in frustration. Giles was doing it again! Overlooking Buffy. And the other Potentials seemed to as well- at least Kennedy and Annabelle.

"Faith and Buffy are both just as good, but they excel in different areas. And while Faith might have had more training, Buffy has more experience- especially since Buffy's also a witch."

Kennedy snorted. "I still don't have much belief in magic," she sing-songed. Remus eyes flashed.

"I think," he said through gritted teeth, "that it is unfair, not to mention biased, to make your opinions of Buffy- and Faith- before you've even met them."

"There's no need to get defensive," Annabelle said. "I mean, why do you care? It's not like you're dating one of them."

Remus was silent.

The three Potential's eyes widened.

"You are!" Kennedy breathed. "You're dating Buffy!"

Remus just grunted in answer.

"That is so romantic," Molly sighed, giving Remus a long hug, apparently over her earlier infatuation of Remus. "You met across dimensions, and traveled together back across the stars together, too much in love to be able to part!" She stared dreamily straight ahead.

Remus blinked. "Right..."

"Well, then he's the one who's biased. And aren't you upset, Molly?" Kennedy said. "I mean, it's been apparent that you have a crush on Remus."

Molly snorted. "Oh, I'm so over him. I'm not one to steal other's boyfriends." She frowned. "And I think he might be a little old for me." She brightened, and gave Remus another hug. "But don't worry- you're still my hero."

"Good to know," Remus said faintly, having a bit of a trouble with keeping up with the Potentials' ever changing mood swings. '_Maybe I am getting old...'_

* * *

Buffy gasped in pain as the Bringer strapped her to a construct made of wood beams with a leather belt. Below her stood a replica of herself, grinning at Buffy wickedly. The First...

"How do you like my invention? And isn't this a great place for it? Right in the middle of good ol'- sorry, new - Sunnydale High. Brings back memories, doesn't it?"

Buffy gritted her teeth hard together against the pain, as the Bringer quickly cut her stomach.

"Oh, don't look at me that way."

Another cut. And another...and another. The Bringer cranked a wheel attached to a mechanism that hoists the wheel with into the air, about ten feet up. Her ritualized symbol-shaped cuts that had been etched into her stomach was bleeding steadily.

"I really thought you would be more grateful. I've helped you. Now you don't have to pretend you like your supposedly best friends anymore."

"Go to Hell," Buffy got out, making the First tssk in mock disappointment.

"Is that anyway to treat your host? What would your real friends say about that?" The First grinned. "Let's find out." Buffy's eyes widened in shock as the First shaped as herself took another form...as Lily.

"How could you, Buffy?" Lily...no, the first, said, shaking her head. "I trusted you. Why did you leave me? How could you abandon us like that?"

"No..." Buffy gasped. "Please, no..."

'Lily' smirked. "I didn't quite catch that, Buffy. Could you repeat it?"

Buffy was breathing heavily now. _'Not this...never this...Lily...no...'_

"Stop it," Buffy hissed. "Change back! Anything but her! Please stop it!"

'Lily' shook her head. "Still defiant. Oh, well, I'll grant your wish." 'Lily' morphed into 'James', who grinned. "Is this better?"

Buffy let out a sob. "Stop it..." she whispered.

'James' laughed, ignoring her. "Now, Buffy...wanna see what a real vampire looks like?"

The First stepped back a little, revealing a metal Seal, shaped like a circular object with strange symbols and a pentagram in the middle, surrounding a goat's head. Buffy's blood dripped onto the seal, pooling in the grooves and being absorbed.

"This is the Seal of Danthalzar," 'James' said lovingly. "Isn't it pretty? Isn't it strange that something so heavenly, is hiding...hell."

The seal started to glow, and one by one, the pointed tips of the pentagram folded themselves up, forming a pyramid. Buffy watched in horrid fascination as light pooled out from under it and how the pyramid sank into the ground, along with the remaining pieces of the seal. Her eyes widened as a monster, with a horribly disfigured face, withredandgray and pointy fingers, a bald head, distinct vampire forehead, brows, trademark fanged teeth and hollow cheekbones, wearing black leather climbed out, raising its hands toward the sky and looking around the room, growling menacingly.

"How do you like him?" The First whispered.

* * *

**A/N:** Another update! (Ya, I'm good) How do you like my description of the potentials? -snickers- I'm really bringing their characterizations to a new high - coughgoingoverboardcough - tell me what you think. By the way my Fanartpage has been updated with LOTS of wallpapers from BTVS - I'd be very pleased if you'd comment, either in aREVIEW (I really love those I've gotten so far-keep it up!)or mail or through my LJ - I will put up a few of them there. Also, Review responses can be found there as usual. Expect another update sometime in the middle of next week. Until then, keep your pants on!

/Ida

* * *


	5. Home is gone

**Never the Same**

Chapter 5 – Home is gone.

DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything…

RATING: PG-13 (T) to R (M) - violence, language, angst, horror, possible mild sexual interactions, etc. If you can watch BTVS/AtS and read HP, I doubt you'll have any problem with this story.

TIMELINE: Sequel to "Out of the Blue" and "Red Horizon" (Part 3 in the series), and begin where we left in "Red Horizon" chapter 39, and a bit before BTVS season 7, though it's almost completely AU, with many changes from the real plot.

SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. Sequel to RH. _"You can run but you can't hide, evil finds you everywhere. Peace and quiet can no one provide, who said life was ever fair?"_

Starting over is something that definitely falls into the 'easier said than done'-category. Buffy and Remus are doing their best to move on, and get used to the changes and the new turn their life has taken, but it's not easy...especially not when living on a Hellmouth.

CENTRAL PAIRING: Buffy/Remus

OTHER PAIRINGS: Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya

**Special Thanks to:** **My Beta –** CharmedChick

* * *

"It's a loop. Like with the mummy hand. I'm doomed to replace these windows for all eternity. You know, maybe we should just board these up until things are less hellmouthy." Xander gave Faith, who was looking through books with the others, an annoyed glare. "Do you even care?"

Faith let out a frustrated cry, slamming a book closed. "Actually, no, Xander, I don't. The only thing I know- the only thing I'm sure of- about what we're facing, is that it calls itself 'The First'. For some reason, I find that a little more disconcerting than you doomed to rebuilding the windows!"

Xander shrugged, knowing better than to argue when Faith was in one of her nowadays famous moods.

"I can't find anything on the computer either," Willow said with a sigh. "Are you absolutely sure it was The First?"

"Yes! I'm telling you, it claimed to be the Original Evil, the one that came before anything else."

Anya snorted. "Please, how many times have I heard that line in my demon days? 'I'm so rotten, they don't even have a word for it. I'm bad. Baddy bad bad bad. Does it make you horny?'"

Everyone stared at her with incredulous looks.

"Or terrified. Whatever."

Faith stood up from the table, making the chair fall to the floor, and started to pace around. "It wasn't a line! When I faced that thing, it felt...I don't know, ancient. Enormous! Mega powerful - it almost made me kill myself. God only knows what the First will come up with next."

Joyce gave Faith a long look. "You never told me that."

Faith shrugged. "What? That it tried to make me commit suicide? It didn't seem important at the time."

"Not important? Faith..."

"What!" Faith exclaimed. "It was playing at the guilt I had over my dead watcher and other stuff in my poor childhood, blablabla. It's not a big deal- I got over it." Faith stopped her pacing to give the other occupants a glare, clearly telling them to drop the subject. "Now keep reading. We need to find a way to fight this thing. It might only be able to talk, but it's doing a damn good job at it. Plus, its got all these really disgusting minions to help. Do we have any new information on the Bringers?"

Tara shook her head. "Nothing. Sorry."

Faith sighed. "It's fine. Fine! Let's just...keep looking."

"I could do a locator spell," Willow said tentatively. "See if I can find the First. At least then we'll know where to look when we know how to kick its ass."

Faith nodded. "Do that." Joyce put an arm around her surrogate daughter comfortingly. "It will be okay, darling. We will defeat this thing. You've come so far, and fought so many evil things. This is just one in the crowd. You can make it."

Faith shook her head, looking defeated. "It's not as simple anymore. This thing is stronger than anything I've faced - anything I will face. You haven't seen it. The First. None of you have. I did. I felt it. It was like- "

Suddenly, a magical explosion sent them all flying against the wall in the corner, as the bowl in front of Willow glowed an eerie red, before the glowing light surrounded Willow's body, entering it through her nostrils.

"Willow!" Tara screamed, trying to get to her girlfriend, but was pushed back as a giant demonic apparition with two horns and red, glowing eyes, escaped Willow's mouth, lunging towards Faith, who took up a fighting stance against it, kicking it, but going right through.

"YOU ONLY MAKE ME STRONGER!"

Xander quickly grabbed the bowl, and threw it against the wall, making it shatter. The light and the incorporeal demon disappeared, and Willow slumped to the floor, twitching, as she collapsed in a dead faint. Tara rushed to her side, putting the witch's head in her lap, stroking her head, before looking up with a determined look.

"We need to stop this thing, Faith. We can't let it hurt anyone else."

Faith nodded, still pale. "At least now you know to take it seriously."

Xander let out a shaky laugh. "Yeah. The very scary untouchable demon coming out of my best friend had me convinced."

"We will stop it," Faith said. "Is Red okay?"

Willow groaned, sitting up slowly. "Umm...yeah. Just a little groggy. Stop me next time I want to try a locator spell." She shuddered. "I really don't want to go through anything like that again."

Suddenly, the door opened, and Giles stepped in.

"Giles!" Faith exclaimed, walking towards her watcher with quick steps. "Thank God, you're back. We really need - "

Faith was interrupted as a brown-haired girl in pig-tails walked right pass Giles and let herself in, looking around with a curious look, the lunch bag she had hanging from her shoulder swinging against her side.

"Nice place. Bit of a mess though."

Faith's jaw dropped as a second girl in a blue sweater followed the first, smiling at Faith, then frowning as she got sight of her leather pants. "Is that real leather?"

Faith started spluttering. "What has that got to do with- OUCH!"

A third girl with dark hair had pushed straight pass Faith, her shoulder brushing hard against her. "This is the Slayer?" She snorted and shook her head.

Faith stared at her with narrowed eyes as the girl threw herself down in the couch, looking as if she owned the place. Then, she winced as the first girl poked at one of Joyce's more expensive vases that had somehow made it through the ambush without shattering, but now fell to the floor with a loud crash, porcelain shards flying in every direction. The girl flushed.

"Oops."

"Giles!" Faith said, glaring hard at her watcher, as he simply took of his glasses and started to polish them. "What - "

"Sorry, Faith," Remus said, as he entered, looking exhausted. "But this might be the beginning of the end." He then frowned as he looked around. "Where's Buffy?"

* * *

"Please..." Buffy sobbed. "Stop. You have your Vampire Hell-spawn, so stop this. Let me go."

The First- 'Eliza' - smiled as the vampire hell-spawn in question tied Buffy up against the wall in a cave. "I'm sorry sweetie," 'Eliza' said, walking closer, making the Slayer flinch away. "But I can't let you go. You are so precious, darling." She morphed into Lily. "So very precious...but so weak...so exhausted. I really don't think it would be nice of me to let you go anywhere."

'Lily'got an evil look on her face. "After all, you and I have a few issues to work through."

She gave Buffy a mournful look. "Buffy, you were my best friend. Why didn't you stay? Why did you let me die?"

'Lily' turned into James. "You should have protected us. Protected Harry. Isn't that what you do? Protect the innocent?"

A tear slipped down Buffy's cheek as 'James' leaned closer. "You didn't do a very good job, though." Suddenly, 'James'' body became full of open bleeding wounds and bruises.

"Look what you let him do to me, Buffy. It hurts so much... How could you?"

Buffy screamed.

* * *

"So...they're all Slayers?" Joyce asked, giving the three girls curious looks, all the while as she cleaned up the shards on the floor.

"Potential slayers," Giles said. "Waiting for one to be called. There were many more like them all over the world, but, um, now there's just a handful, and they're all on their way to Sunnydale."

"More of them?" Faith burst out, not caring in the least how she sounded. Before Giles and Remus had left, it had seemed a good idea to bring the Potentials here. After all, every single one of them could one day end up as a Slayer. Somehow, Faith had imagines girls more in the lines of the Charmed ones, or Xena, or Eowyn in the Lord of the Rings- hell, even Leia in Star Wars would have sufficed nicely - not typical teenage girls.

They had been here for less than a few minutes, barely saying anything, and Faith could already tell they were a handful- and annoying. For example, the girl in the blue sweater had now been staring at her leather clad legs since she came in. If it wasn't for the very prominent frown, Faith would have though she was checking her out.

Giles nodded. "Yes. This is the only place where they can be at least a little protected. The rest have been murdered."

'Gee, wonder why,' Remus thought to himself. He knew he was being unfair, he knew it wasn't the girls' fault, and he knew they were murdered because they were potentials- not for being generally annoying, but he was tired and hungry and another full-moon was quickly approaching, and he still hadn't gotten a straight answer as to where Buffy was.

"...Along with their watchers," Giles continued. "We always feared that this day would come, when there'd be an attack against not just an individual slayer, but against the whole line."

Faith nodded to herself. "The First. That's what it wants."

"To erase all the Slayers in training, along with their watchers." Xander summarized. "And then you and Buffy. No more Slayers."

"And then it's the end. With all the potentials gone, and with no way of making another, there would be no more Slayer. Ever. Evil would be free to roam." Willow frowned. "Why hasn't anyone tried before?"

"Hey!" Faith protested. "Who's side are you on, Red?"

"Willow's right," Giles said. "It is ingenious, really. But the resources it would take...the planning...the large manpower...someone powerful enough to rule over that manpower and have them all obey him unquestioningly. Very few would fit that description."

"But the First Evil does," Faith sighed. "But why haven't we found anything on the First? It's the First Evil! The Evil. There should be lots of information- "

"- But there isn't," Remus cut in. "The First evil predates any written history, and it rarely shows its true face. The only record was in the Watcher's library."

"Well, I guess that explains why our research went cablooey," Willow muttered.

"What about the council?" Anya wondered. "What do they say about this."

Remus cast Giles a look. "Well...they're not saying anything at the moment, considering they're all in tiny little pieces."

Tara's eyes grew huge, and Faith's jaw dropped again.

"They're gone?"

"Obliterated," Giles nodded. "They were in session, and, uh...there was an explosion."

"So that means all the information is gone," Joyce sank down in the couch and Faith swore loudly, kicking at the wall.

"No, it's not," Remus said, nodding towards Annabelle, who finally stopped looking at Faith's leather pants and instead unzipped her bag, pulling up two books and a stack of files, putting them on the coffee table. "That's what's left."

"The mystic secrets of the Watchers. And whatever I could find on The First. When I learned what was happening, I-I, um, I stole them," Giles flushed.

Remus rolled his eyes. "We stole them."

"Yes, of course," Giles flushed again. "We."

"Remus was really brave," Molly gushed. "You should have seen the way he picked that lock, awesome!"

Faith blinked. "Right. Whatever."

"And you blew the Council up!" Anya said, poking a finger towards Giles. "See, this is what happens when you're all stuffy and repressed. You overreact."

"Not - I didn't. Must've been an agent of The First, after my - eh...our- little burglary session. The knowledge contained in these files had to be protected, and there wasn't time f-for bureaucracy or debate. The Council knows no other way."

"So what do the files say?"

"Very little," Remus spoke up again. "It can change form, appearing in the guise of someone who has passed away. And it's not corporeal - "

"Yeah, I kind of noticed," Faith muttered.

Remus ignored her. "It needs someone to do its work- The first is really good at manipulating. And also, it works through its followers - the Bringers."

The dark haired girl nodded. "Those freaks in the black robes."

The girl in pig-tails lit up. "Yeah! With the hoodies and the crazy alphabet eyes. I never saw 'em, I just heard- "

"Shh! Molly, Mr. Giles don't need us prattling on," the girl with the seemingly leather addiction interrupted. The girl, Molly, made an ugly grimace in her direction, making Xander snort, but hastily stop, as he got sight of Faith's glare.

"I honestly don't know what to do to defeat it," Giles finished. "But we have to find a way. If the Slayer line is eliminated, then the Hellmouth has no guardian. The balance is destroyed." He put a hand on Faith's shoulder. "I'm afraid it falls to you, Faith. I'msorry. I mean, we'll do what we can, but you're the only one who has the strength to protect these girls - and the world - against what's coming."

Remus snorted in his corner. "Favoritism," he muttered. "Again. Overlooking Buffy. Again." _'And where is she, anyway?'_

The Dark haired girl stood up. "That's it? That's the plan? I don't see how one person, even a Slayer, could protect us. If this thing is the root of all evil, isn't the Hellmouth it's number one vacation spot? I mean, don't you think we should be hiding our asses on the other side of the globe? I saw what those bringer guys can do. They tore apart my watcher- "

'Gutted him up, more like,' Remus silently corrected.

"- And where is the other Slayer? Buffy? We could use her help," Kennedy finished. Remus felt like cheering. Finally! Someone else but him wondered about her...

Xander coughed uncomfortably. "Well...you see...we might have a tiny bit of a problem..."

* * *

"A TINY BIT OF A PROBLEM!" Remus exploded, making the room flinch. "A TINY BIT! BUFFY'S BEEN TAKEN BY THE FIRST AND IT'S JUST A TINY BIT OF A PROBLEM? AND YOU ONLY MENTION IT NOW!"

"Gee, calm down," Faith said. "She was taken by the Bringers, not the First -"

"AND WHERE DO YOU THINK THE BRINGERS TAKE HER?"

"We'll find her, Remus, calm down," Giles tried, making Remus turn his enraged look at the Watcher instead, his eyes flashing.

"Calm down?" He hissed. "Buffy's been taken, and you want me to calm down? She might be DEAD ALREADY!" He shook his head. "I can't believe you people. Do you do anything but talk and pretend all is fine and well? I'm so out of here," he muttered, storming out of the house.

"Where are you going?" Molly asked.

"Finding Buffy," Remus called back. "Taking action. Since no one else seems to be doing anything."

The door slammed shut, leaving an eerie, uncomfortable silence in its wake.

"That went well," Anya said.

* * *

As Remus had walked a few blocks, he closed his eyes, and let his wolf-side take over. At least there was one good thing with the approaching full moon - his senses was on full alert. It didn't take long until he found a familiar scent of Vanilla, mixed with something else - fear, and something...ancient. Powerful. And blood. Remus started to run.

* * *

"This is what he did to me, Buffy," The First whispered, once again in the shape of Eliza, watching as the ubervamp cut into the Slayer's skin with a knife. "My father. Making nice patterns. Sometimes, he used a whip. I know all your secrets, Buffy," 'Eliza' whispered in her ear. "I am everything. Everywhere." The vamp made another cut. "Do you like the pain?"

Buffy bit her lip hard to keep from screaming.

"My father loved to make me scream. Will you scream for me?"

Buffy said nothing.

"No? That's too bad. I want you to scream. And I say what you tell and what you know. I say when this is over. And I'm not done with you yet. Not nearly. I want you to scream for me first. Scream, like you did when you saw what happened to James."

Buffy kept her eyes clenched shut.

'Eliza' made a disappointed clicking sound with her tongue. "I really hoped it wouldn't come to this. Do you want to know a secret? I killed my father. Put a knife in his throat. He bled really easily. I could feel his dying breath on my face."

A tear slipped passed Buffy's closed eyelids.

"I escaped, you know."

Buffy's eyes flew open. Eliza had escaped? Maybe she wasn't dead...maybe she was alright...

"I needed to find my way back home. I needed...Sirius," 'Eliza' breathed. "I needed to cry in his arms, needed him to comfort me. Guess what? The plan didn't work out." The First sighed. "I found him, alright. But he was too busy threatening p-poor l-little st-stuttering Peter to take any notice. And then...BAM!"

'Eliza' slammed her hands hard together in front of Buffy's face, making the Slayer flinch.

"Nothing. No hugging, no kissing...nothing. Just a big, loud explosion." 'Eliza' grinned menacingly. "My own loving, caring boyfriend blew me up. What a way to end a relationship, don't you think? Personally, I would have preferred a call, or even a letter. But I guess we don't get to choose." She walked out of the cave, the vamp following her. "Think about that."

* * *

Remus was frustrated. He'd followed Buffy's track to the Sunnydale High School, to the basement, where he'd found a seal, and a wood-beam- with Buffy's blood on it. Lots of it. Even though he knew he should keep looking for Buffy, he also knew he needed to cover the seal up - Merlin knows what it did while exposed like that. So he'd taken a shovel and started to shovel sand over the seal. Then, when he was done, he'd started to walk out, only to come face to face with Principal Wood, also carrying a shovel, and on the way to the same direction Remus had just come from.

After a quick conversation, which had felt like an eternity, and during which Wood had made some lame excuse about the shovel being left on the grounds by a student, Remus had left the school, even though he'd felt like burying the shovel in Wood's throat and asking what he knew. If Principal Wood was a real principal and innocent as a lamb, Remus did not turn into a bloody monster once a month. Still, he had no proof, and for the moment, he needed to find Buffy, and Wood had not smelled like her, which meant he, at least, was innocent of that crime. However, now he had that little problem of not knowing where to look next.

The trail had stopped in the school, so Remus had no lead to follow. Finally, he decided to try the good ol' honest apparition, hoping that his exhaustion would not make him splinch, and that whatever place Buffy was in, wasn't warded against magic.

CRACK.

* * *

CRACK!

Remus swore as he made a very ungraceful landing in the middle of a sand-floored cave. His nerves were on fire and his limbs felt heavy - like they were ready to fall of any second now - he knew he'd only managed to get to this destination without splinching thanks to a miracle, and for that, he was eternally grateful. He'd really done too much apparition- and with sidealongs, on top of that - these last few days.

"Rem?"

Remus' shot up from the floor as a bullet from a gun. "Buffy?" All thoughts of heavy limbs and aching body parts flew out of his head as he got sight of Buffy, tied up and bleeding against the cave wall furthest away from him.

"When did you got back?" Buffy breathed, tears falling freely from her eyes as Remus reached her and started to loosen her binds.

"Or are you just another trick, come to torture me?"

"I'm real," Remus said, placing a bruising kiss on her lips. "Believe it." He quickly lifted her up in his arms, carrying her carefully towards the exit. "Is there anyone else here but you?"

"The First," Buffy gasped.

"Doesn't matter. It can't do anything to hurt you- it's not corporeal."

Buffy snorted. "Believe me, it can hurt us. Maybe not physical pain, but it can hurt us." She looked up at Remus. "It told me...things. Made me see things. I know what happened to Eliza. She's dead too, Rem. She died in the same explosion as Peter. Because of Sirius." She sobbed. Remus closed his eyes, holding her closer.

"Maybe it was lying. Tricking you," he said, even though he knew he was lying to himself. If the First had taken the form of Eliza...then she really was dead. And Buffy didn't buy it either. She shook her head.

"No. I know it wasn't. It was telling the truth. I just know it."

"Let's not think about that now," Remus said, walking faster. "We need to get out of here. Are there any Bringers around?"

"Don't know," Buffy slurred, closing her eyes. "But there's an uber-vamp somewhere."

"An uber-vamp?" Remus asked. "What is that?"

"Really ugly," Buffy continued, dazed, as if she hadn't heard him. "Really, really ugly. He had a bad breath." She giggled. "Really bad breath. I don't think he knows what a toothbrush is. Or a bath. He could have used a bath..."

Remus placed a kiss on Buffy's forehead, silently wondering what the hell The First had done to her...said to her.

"You're not making any sense, hon," Remus whispered. "But you're going to be fine now. I'll get you home, and fix you right back up."

Buffy looked at him with glassy eyes, and suddenly, she seemed coherent again. "Not home," she croaked. "This is not home." She closed her eyes again, sighing. "Home is gone."

* * *

**A/N: **Another chapter up! Hope you liked it, and please REVIEW. As for other news...my webpage "Across the Mountains" now has two whole sections dedicated to the "Out of the Blue" universe - one with character profiles, and one with general story info. As time passes, the profiles will be filled out, and as soon as I get the time (today, probably), I'll fill them out even more with general information, such as powers, personality, etc. Feel free to take a look! Until next time!

/Ida

* * *


	6. Together, we can do anything

Never the Same

Chapter 6 – Together, we can do anything.

DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything…

RATING: PG-13 (T) to R (M) - violence, language, angst, horror, possible mild sexual interactions, etc. If you can watch BTVS/AtS and read HP, I doubt you'll have any problem with this story.

TIMELINE: Sequel to "Out of the Blue" and "Red Horizon" (Part 3 in the series), and begin where we left in "Red Horizon" chapter 39, and a bit before BTVS season 7, though it's almost completely AU, with many changes from the real plot.

SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. Sequel to RH. _"You can run but you can't hide, evil finds you everywhere. Peace and quiet can no one provide, who said life was ever fair?" _Starting over is something that definitely falls into the 'easier said than done'-category. Buffy and Remus are doing their best to move on, and get used to the changes and the new turn their life has taken, but it's not easy...especially not when living on a Hellmouth.

CENTRAL PAIRING: Buffy/Remus

OTHER PAIRINGS: Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya

**Special Thanks to:** **My Beta –** CharmedChick

* * *

"How do you think Buffy is?" Xander asked, looking upstairs where Remus had disappeared with Buffy minutes ago.

"She looked like a wreck when she came in," Anya supplemented.

"Thanks, An," Faith sighed. "I think we all saw that."

"Why isn't she at the hospital?" Tara wondered. "They'd be able to fix her, right?" She looked at Giles, who started to clean his glasses.

"Well, yes, I suggested it to Remus, but he...eh...sneered at me. I don't think he likes me very much."

"Don't you get the feeling...that he's a little bit...overprotective?" Willow wondered.

"Over Buffy?" Joyce said. "Yes. But I think that's good. He takes care of her," she sounded pleased. "Although I would have preferred it if he'd let Giles take her to the hospital. But I know Buffy and hospitals don't really agree...so maybe that's why. Buffy picked a good man."

"I'm more worried that she needs protection in the first place," Faith said. "I need another experienced Slayer, not someone who falls apart when faced with danger."

Willow and Xander gave each other looks. "Well...Buffy's not one to fall apart without good reason. She has always...you know, she's strong," Xander said. "Whatever the First did...or said to her...it must have been tough."

Faith sighed. "Yeah. Probably. Still, I'd rather have her down here, healthy. Not up there, speaking crazy nothings and being generally useless."

"She's not useless!" Willow protested. "She's just sick. She can't help it."

"I know she can't help it - I didn't mean to make it sound like that. But at the moment, she is useless, unwillingly or not," Faith finished. "And who's keeping an eye on the three little pigs?"

Xander snorted. "That's your namefor the potentials? The three pigs?"

"I'll change it to the seven dwarves when more show up," Faith said. "And when I'm out of Fairytales...well, hopefully, they will have grown up enough so stupid nicknames aren't needed. Although right now, I doubt it."

* * *

"They're talking about us, aren't they? Buffy wondered, from where she was curled up in Remus' arms. Remus lips twitched. It had only taken a few minutes for him to fix the worst of Buffy's wounds, and then after a long talk of what happened, Buffy felt a lot better, and was more than equipped to fix the rest herself. They wouldn't even scar.

"Well..." Remus stretched out his senses to the sounds downstairs. "I think Annabelle, Kennedy and Molly are arguing whether to watch the '102 Dalmatians', 'Independence Day', or 'Robin Hood.'

Buffy snorted. "The Potentials, right?"

"Yeah. Let's see...ah! Your mum is admiring my overprotectiveness, and the rest of the group wonders about your state of mind."

Buffy guffawed loudly at this.

"Well...I guess we should go down and reassure them." She snuggled up closer to Remus. "But I don't really feel like it. On the other hand, it would be nice to shut them up."

Remus kissed her softly. "Can it wait?"

Buffy grinned. "Oh, yes, it can wait..."

* * *

An hour later, Remus and Buffy finally decided they should go down and face the music, Remus going first.

"Remus, my man!" Xander said, standing up, as Remus entered the living room, setting himself down in one of the free chairs in front of the telly. "How are you? And how's Buffy? Is she still...you know?" He made a circling motion with his index finger by the side of his head.

"She's just fine, Xander, thank you," Buffy herself said dryly, as she came into the room.

"Buffy!" Xander chuckled nervously. "Didn't see you there."

"Obviously," Buffy said calmly, sitting down in Remus' lap. "What are we watching?"

"Independence day," Annabelle grumbled. "Kennedy hits hard."

Molly gave Buffy a curious look, along with Kennedy (after the latter had given Annabelle another rather hard hit). "So you're the other Slayer, huh?" Kennedy asked, looking Buffy up and down.

"Yep," Buffy said brightly, trying to ignore Kennedy, who's inspection made her feel a little like a caged animal at zoo. "That's me."

"Can you do that cool cracking thing too?" Molly asked, making Buffy frown.

"Cracking thing?"

"Apparition," Remus explained, and Buffy lit up in understanding.

"Oh, that. Yeah."

"Remus found you, huh?" Molly said, sighing dreamily. "He found me too. He's really brave, isn't he?"

Buffy tried not to laugh. Remus had told her about the Potentials after their 'snuggling' sessions, and the way he'd described their personalities had her cracking up. She now realized he had been pretty accurate in his explanation.

"Yeah. He is."

"Well," Kennedy wondered. "Why didn't you 'crack' yourself away then? Would have saved us a lot of trouble."

"Saved you a lot of trouble?" Buffy raised her eyebrows. "I had the feeling it was Remus who found me, not you. What did you do?" _'I have a feeling little Ken needs to be taken down a notch or two...'_

"Yeah. Saved him a lot of trouble then," Kennedy corrected herself. "Whatever."

"It wasn't a lot of trouble, really," Remus said. "I needed to get out, stretch my legs, have some alone time. It was nice. Although I wish I would have been informed the minute I stepped into the house."

The Scoobies looked a little guilty at that.

"You still haven't answered my question," Kennedy said, her nose up in the air.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "It's kind of hard to apparate when being tied up to a wheel and cut into by a knife. Or when you're being tortured by an ancient vampire."

Kennedy quieted at that. "Oh," she just said.

There was a few seconds of uncomfortable silence- the only sounds came from the television.

"You know, Buffy," Joyce finally said. "What happened to your wounds? You were hurt really badly when Remus brought you in- there was blood everywhere."

"Oh, Remus worked some wonders with his magic - fixed me right up," Buffy explained, waving it away like it was nothing.

Molly's eyes grew huge. "He did that? Wow...he really can do anything..."

Remus snorted. "Eh, not really. I just stopped the bleeding, and then Buffy did the rest herself."

"Buffy did it?" Willow wondered.

"Yeah. I can do magic too, you know. And I worked as a Healer- it wasn't a big deal."

"A Healer?" Joyce sounded confused. "Like a doctor? I thought you hated hospitals?"

"Oh, I don't hate hospitals, per se," Buffy shrugged. "Just being a patient. I hate feeling helpless under someone else's care, you know. Now, being the one taking care of the patient, that's another thing. Then I'm in control and holding the instruments." She frowned. "Or wand. Whatever."

Willow smiled at Buffy. "Well, I'm just glad you're feeling better," she said, earning herself a smile back.

"Thanks, Will."

* * *

"So...there's two Slayers?" Rona, the newest Potential frowned, as Molly nodded.

"Yep. Buffy and Faith- she's the one that picked you up at the bus station."

"And one of them is English?"

"No," Vi, a red-haired Slayer shook her head. "Buffy's boyfriend's English. She just lived there for awhile. But I heard that they're not from our England."

"What do you mean our England? There's more than one England?" Chloe, another Slayer In Training asked, confused.

"Buffy and Remus - that's her boyfriend- he's really brave and really hot, by the way- they're both from a parallelish dimension," Molly said. "And they can both do magic."

"Well, I for one, prefer Faith," Kennedy spoke up. "She's way cooler than Buffy. I mean, when we- Annabelle, and Molly and I - first got here- several weeks ago - Buffy had gotten herself kidnapped by one of the Bringers, and Remus had to rescue her. She seems rather weak and pathetic. I bet I could take her."

Molly snorted. "Yeah, right, Ken. In your dreams, maybe. She's still the Slayer. And Remus would never date anyone like that."

Kennedy rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. I think you're going a bit overboard with your hero-worshipping. It's obvious Buffy's got Remus wrapped around her little finger."

Molly pouted.

"Plus, you saw her after Remus rescued her- that vamp beat her up good," Annabelle said.

"So there's a vampire out there, capable of killing a Slayer with almost no effort?" A blonde Potential, Eve, supplemented.

"Well, she was taken by surprise," Molly muttered, but was ignored.

"And what are we doing about it?" Eve continued. "Just sitting here, waiting to be picked off one by one? If one of the actual Slayers couldn't fight it, what chance do we have?"

"Well...Buffy never stood much of a fighting chance," Annabelle said. "From what I've heard, she was tied up."

"She never should have allowed herself to get tied up in the first place," Eve exclaimed. "Do these...Scoobies have any kind of plan? You know, any kind of plan to keep us from dying?"

Silence.

"I didn't think so."

* * *

"Eh...hi!" The Potentials peeked in through the door-opening, interrupting. "Can we come in?" Molly wondered. "I'm feeling a little peckish, and so is Rona."

"And we have some questions," Eve said.

The Scoobies shot each others a look. "Sure."

"So," Kennedy asked, hopping up beside Faith. "What do you know?"

"Eh...we know a lot," Willow said timidly. "I mean...what do we know, Giles?"

"We've got squat," Anya summarized.

Buffy sighed, before giving Remus, who was rubbing her shoulders, a grateful smile. "Well, squat's not gonna cut it. What about the uber-vamp?"

"The vampire time forgot?" Xander asked.

Buffy nodded. "Yeah. Time may have forgotten him, but I sure won't." She shuddered. "Although personally, I felt the verbal torture from the First Evil was way worse."

"Well...it's called the Turok-Han," Giles said. "And normal stakes won't kill it."

"Great!" Kennedy exclaimed. "So we know what doesn't kill it. What does?"

"Yeah!" Eve agreed. "What are you people doing to protect us?"

"Everything in our power," Faith said, making Chloe snort.

"Well, then your power source must have been cut short."

Giles sighed, and cleaned his glasses. "There is one avenue that we haven't tried yet- "

"Giles!" Anya hissed, protesting.

"Beljoxa's Eye," Giles finished. "It's an oracle type creature that exists in a dark dimension."

"More like an internal vortex," Anya corrected.

"So...this Bojox' eye thingy might know what we need to know?" Buffy summarized.

"Yes," Giles said.

"But there's no guarantee," Anya cut in.

Faith hopped down from the table. "I'll take anything I can get. We're running out of time."

* * *

Later, the Potentials all gathered up in the basement for training. Vi immediately began stretching, while Molly reached out for a stake. Chloe went straight for the punching bag along with Kennedy.

"Is that punching bag of leather?" Annabelle wondered out loud. Kennedy rolled her eyes, but ignored the vegan-girl, as did everyone else. They had gotten used to Annabelle's ways by now.

"What are we all doing here?" Eve said.

Kennedy let out a frustrated cry. "It's called training. Didn't your watcher ever teach you the word?"

Rona cut in. "I never had a watcher. I only just found out what I was - or what I might be - after those crazy-ass monks came after me."

Eve glared at Kennedy. "I meant why are we all bothering? It's not like we can make a difference."

Molly spoke up. "We've gotta try. We gotta keep our reflexes sharp. Oops." She dropped her stake, making Eve snort.

"And then what?" Eve said. "What are we supposed to do about it? Not one of us is remotely prepared to be activated as a new chosen one."

Kennedy rolled her eyes. "Speak for yourself. I feel pretty prepared. In fact, as I've already told you, I bet I could take Buffy's place with no problem."

"It doesn't matter what we feel. One of us will only be activated if Faith dies. She's the actual Slayer- the one the Slayer line rests on." Eve said. "Faith will die, sooner or later, and when that happens, one of us is going to be the next Slayer, with the weight of the world on her shoulders. It could be anyone. Especially since there's so few of us left. They'll just run through each one of us, one after the other. Kinda creepy, huh? All we do is wait around for each other to die. It might just be my personal opinion, but I feel the Slayers can't protect us from the First."

"And I can almost feel the positive energy flowing," Buffy said dryly, as she stepped down the steps, into the room, followed by Remus.

"Where's Faith? I thought she was going to train with us," Kennedy frowned.

"Plan's changed," Buffy said. "Faith had to go find a new Potential. You get me instead."

Kennedy sighed. "And what are you going to do? Teach us how to get kidnapped?"

Buffy's eyes narrowed. "You know, Kennedy, I'm rather sick of your attitude. If you think you're so much better than us, why don't you leave the room?"

"I don't think," Kennedy said. "I know. I could take you easily. I haven't seen you do a thing around here, except making out with your boyfriend."

"Really?" Buffy drawled. "Since you're so sure of yourself, why don't you and I spar? If you win, well, then I'll let you do whatever you want around here. If I win, I want you to shut your mouth and do as you're told. Deal?"

Kennedy smirked, looking the short Slayer up and down. "Deal."

Buffy just raised her eyebrows. "Well, get going then. I don't have all day."

Kennedy's eyes narrowed, and she rushed towards Buffy.

SMACK. BAM. BOOM. SMACK.

"OUCH!" Kennedy cried out, as Buffy caught her in a headlock and then threw her to the floor. Before Kennedy had time to react, Buffy was standing over her, a stake over her heart.

"If you were a vampire, you'd be dead. Lesson number one: Never underestimate your enemy. Lesson number two: Don't let appearances fool you."

Buffy stepped of a thoroughly humiliated Kennedy.

"Now," she said. "What did you learn by watching Kennedy and I spar?"

"That we shouldn't mess with you?" Chloe said, voice shaking nervously. The other Potential's laughed nervously, all the while looking at Buffy in a new light: With respect.

Buffy's lips twitched. "Well, I guess so. But what I meant was, that when Kennedy rushed at me, it was obvious she had no plans of attack, which made it easy for me to throw her off. Also, her right side was left unprotected all the time- that weakness would have been easy for me to use. That I'm also physically stronger than her doesn't matter. Often, the demons and vampires we face are stronger. But strength isn't everything. It's how we use it - our strength and agility and all the rest of our resources - that determines the outcome of a battle. That's lesson number three."

Suddenly, Faith came storming down the stairs.

"Get away from them!" She exploded.

"Who? Get away from who?" Buffy said, confused, backing out of Faith's way, as the dark haired Slayer walked into the room, pausing in front of Eve, who gave her an innocent look.

"What's the problem, officer?"

"I said, get away from them now," Faith said through gritted teeth.

"Faith, what did Eve do?" Buffy wondered. "Except for being annoying."

"That's not Eve. Eve's dead."

All the potentials nervously backed away from 'Eve,' who stood up.

"Oops! One more down. Oh, well, can't save 'em all, can ya? Thanks for the slumber party, girls. It's been real fun the last couple of nights. I learned a whole lot- "

"Shut up, and get out," Faith exclaimed.

Eve smirked. "Or you'll do what? I'll be sending a guest over to visit y'all later on tonight, after the sun goes down of course. I think you know him. Buffy. Try and make him feel welcome before he rips y'all to pieces. Bye."

And in a flash, she was gone, leaving a thick silence behind. Buffy closed her eyes in frustration. Her small step forward her lesson had made became three steps back as the fear was back, redoubled. Great.

* * *

A few hours later, the Scoobies had once again gathered in the kitchen.

"It's my fault?" Buffy said quietly. "It's my fault the First Evil is here?"

"Buffy, you couldn't have possibly known," Remus tried, but Buffy interrupted him.

"It doesn't matter! It's still my fault! I came back from the other dimension and that interrupted the balance and gave the First Evil its chance to settle! That's what it said, right, Giles? Beljoxa's eye?"

Giles cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Well, yes, that was the gist of it."

Buffy sank down in a chair, burying her face in her hands. "I knew things would have been better if I'd never returned. Ever since I came back, things have sucked," she muttered. "In both dimensions."

"Don't think like that," Joyce said. "None of us blame you. Right?" She looked around at the others, who gave each other uncomfortable looks.

"Well...of course not," Willow said. "Of course we don't blame you...but..."

"...it's still my fault. On my shoulders." Buffy looked up, seemingly utterly defeated.

"Don't, Buffy," Remus said softly, settling down on his knees beside Buffy's chair. He was talking so silently that no one in the room could hear him, besides Faith. "It's not your fault. Get yourself together. I need you- we need you- strong, and alert. Not filled with self-doubt. It might be because of you that the First Evil's here, but it doesn't help anyone if you fall apart. If you do, you let it win."

"He's right," Faith said. "The damage has already been made - "

Remus gave her a glare. That really wasn't helping.

"- the First is already here- let's make the best of the situation, alright?" Faith finished, either not noticing, or not caring, of Remus look.

Buffy took a deep breath. "You're right. Both of you, no matter how it came out. We need to focus, on the First Evil. So...we need a plan. Anyone got one?"

* * *

"What do you think they're talking about?" Chloe wondered. The potentials were sitting cramped together on the stairs.

Annabelle shrugged. "Don't know. Don't care. We're all going to die soon anyway."

"Hasn't anyone...you know...tried to...spy on them?" Vi wondered.

"Yeah," Kennedy said. "But Remus has set up some kind of silencing charm. Can't hear a thing. And don't you start," she warned, as Molly opened her mouth, presumably to begin another one of her 'Remus is a hero' speeches.

Molly frowned. "I wasn't going to," she muttered, even though that was a lie.

"We should run," Vi suggested.

"And go where, Vi?" Kennedy wondered. "As much as I hate to admit it, but it's probably safer here, inside, with the Slayers, than out there."

Molly smirked. "Guess your tune has changed now when you got your arse kicked by Buffy?"

Kennedy glared. "That's not it at all."

"Well, I think we should. Run, I mean," Chloe said nervously, twitching her hands. "The First Evil...it was here. Right among us, living in the house, for days, with no one any the wiser."

Vi shuddered. "It could still be here. It could be any one of us."

The kitchen door opened.

"No," Buffy said, stepping out, along with Remus. "It can only take the form of dead people." She inwardly shuddered, remembering all too well the First Evil's taunts in the forms of her best friends.

Rona snorted. "Yeah, well there'll be plenty more of those soon enough. We're dropping like flies here."

"Hey!" Buffy interrupted. "Look, I know you're all scared. You know what? I am too, but we need to stick together. Okay, we're stronger that way. We cannot afford to fall apart now. We've come up with a plan. Willow, Tara, Remus and I are going to try to make a barrier to keep the vampire out. I have a feeling he doesn't need an invite."

"Try?" Rona cried. "You're going to try?"

"You heard her," Kennedy said, not really daring to speak up against Buffy again, even though she felt the same thing as Rona did.

"And what if that doesn't work? What if that monster gets through?" Chloe wondered, biting her nails nervously.

"We'll deal with it," Buffy said.

"Deal? Fight, you mean? How?" Rona wondered. "You beat Kennedy easily, and she's the strongest of us. And the vamp beat you. So what are our chances?"

"Lesson number four," Buffy said with a frustrated cry. "Don't underestimate yourselves. Don't underestimate your abilities. And what makes you so sure Kennedy's the strongest? As I said before, the winner is not determined by strength. And definitely not by ego."

Kennedy gave her a long, dark glare.

"Give up," Chloe suggested. "Can we do that? Surrender, I mean, so it won't kill us?"

"Didn't you hear a word of what I just said?" Buffy cried. Remus took hold of her arm and lead her back into the kitchen, to the Scoobies. Tara and Willow was whispering softly in a corner, gesturing wildly, presumably about the barrier spell.

"It's no use, Buffy," Remus said. "They're all worked up. There's nothing we can do to reassure them now."

* * *

A few minutes later, the sun set. Several Bringers had already encircled the house, and the occupants of Revello Drive were all gathered in the living room.

"Why aren't they doing anything? Attacking, I mean?" Molly asked Remus.

"They don't want in. They're here to make sure we don't get out."

Annabelle shuddered. "We're like trapped rabbits in a cave, waiting to be slaughtered..."

"Annabelle!" Buffy snapped. "You're not helping. Everyone, grab a weapon. One you can handle," she added, trying to ignore Rona's muttering about how it wasn't any use. "Remus, come with me. It's time."

Remus followed Bufyf to the hallway, where Tara and Willow were standing.

"Ready?" Buffy inquired.

"As ready as we'll ever be," Tara said, grabbing Willow's hand. Willow grabbed Buffy's, and Buffy grabbed Remus'. Suddenly, there was a shout from the living room.

"It's here!" Anya said. "So...start working your mojo."

The four magical users nodded towards one another, and then started chanting. The rest of the gang stood in the living room doorway, watching them.

"_Caerimonia Minerva, saepio, saepire, saepsi..."_

The door burst open.

"_Saepio impedimentum!"_

A shield flickered to life, and everyone breathed out a sigh of relief.

"It's working!" Chloe exclaimed.

"For the moment," Vi added.

For several minutes, the shield held up. Then Tara fell to her feet, and the shield flickered.

"Keep concentrating!" Buffy yelled to Willow, who looked as if she wanted to go to her girlfriend's side. "She's fine!"

"I'm fine," Tara agreed, being helped up by Xander. "Just...temporarily out of magic."

"We won't be able to hold it much longer," Remus said, noticing the barrier flickering again, as the Turok-Han threw itself against it.

Buffy gulped, feeling the pressure too. "Run," she finally said. "Everybody, run."

Barely a minute after they left, the barrier broke, and Remus, Buffy and Willow rushed to the back, towards the others, who were in the backyard, finishing of the last of the Bringers.

"Go! Go! Go, people!" Faith yelled, starting to run. "Follow me!"

"Are they following?" Molly whimpered.

Remus shook his head.

"Just the vamp," he said, trying to reassure the girl.

"That's what I was afraid of," Molly gulped.

"FASTER!" Faith yelled from uo front. "WE NEED TO GET TO THE SAFE PLACE!"

"We have one of those?" Molly wondered out loud, before she suddenly tripped on a bump in the street and fell. Remus hastily stopped.

"Remus!" Buffy yelled.

"KEEP GOING!" Remus called back, helping Molly to her feet. "I'LL HANDLE IT! Can you stand?"

"I think I twisted my ankle," the girl muttered, letting out a cry as she put pressure on her foot. Remus cast a quick look backwards. The Turok-han was closing in. Remus pulled out his wand, and shot of a 'stupify' spell, that hit the Turok-han, who stopped in his track.

Molly gasped in delight. "We're safe?"

"No. That won't hold him for long. Hopefully, it will let us catch up with the others though."

Suddenly, the vamp started moving again. Molly let out a scream.

"Apparently, I was wrong," Remus muttered. "Grab hold of me," he demanded. Molly quickly did as she was told.

"We're going to do the cracking thing again?"

"Yeah. Hopefully," Remus said. He was still feeling rather drained from the spell, and the full moon had only been days ago. He quickly concentrated...

CRACK!

* * *

CRACK!

Remus lost his balance, and fell to the street, dragging Molly with him. Faith let out a yell, as she had to jump over them.

"I hate when you do that!" She exclaimed. "A little warning, next time."

Remus swore. He'd meant to get them directly to the safe place, but apparently, his energy had just been enough to get them to the front of the line. Which meant they'd soon fall behind again, considering Molly's wounded ankle.

Buffy caught up with them, panting. "Thank Merlin. I was so worried until I heard the crack. I would have though you'd taken her further, though."

"That was my intention," Remus said. "Can you do a floating spell on her? I'm feeling rather...faint."

Buffy placed a hand on his forehead. "You're burning up. Think you can make it?"

Remus gave her a tired smile. "Yeah. I've been through worse."

"Good to know," Buffy muttered, pulling out her wand and pointed it at Molly, who, a second later, floated up in the air. Molly giggled in delight.

"This is so wicked!"

"Glad you think so," Buffy said, starting to run again, giving Remus worried looks every once in awhile. Luckily enough, he seemed to be able to keep up rather well, even though his breathing sounded labored. _'I'll have to check on him later...when we're safe...'_

"I never should have let you do the barrier spell so soon after the full moon," Buffy said. "It was a bad idea."

"It was a good idea," Remus countered. "You couldn't have known I would have to apparate."

"Yeah. There seems to be a lot of things I couldn't have known, but should've," Buffy muttered.

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity, they reached their destination.

"This is the safe location?" Rona exclaimed as they climbed over scaffoldings.

"Not just any safe location. This is the future site of the Sunnydale Library, to be constructed by yours truly. If I ever get back to work, that is," Xander added under his breath.

"Somehow, that doesn't reassure me much," Kennedy sneered, almost back to her former sassy self, now when she'd kicked some Bringer-ass.

"Don't worry," Willow said. "Buffy and Faith have a plan. A crazy plan, but a plan."

"That doesn't reassure me, either," Vi said, gasping in surprise as Molly settled down beside her, floating down from the air.

"Where did you come from?"

Molly grinned. "Magic. Remus saved me. Again. Buffy helped." She added, as Remus gave her a reproachful look as he sat down on Molly's other side.

Suddenly, the flood lights came on, and everyone turned their heads, and found Faith and Buffystanding on an edge, overlooking the open area.

"You're all trapped," Buffy began. "The odds are against you. You have no means of fighting. No means of escape. So what do you do? Give up? No. You still stand strong. Even though you'll probably die doing it. Why? Beacuse we don't give up. Never give up. You must have..." She grinned. "Faith."

"Thanks, B," Faith said. "Why, hello there," she added, as the Turok-han came rushing towards them. "We were just wondering where you got to. Buffy likes speeches," Faith said, turning her attention to the potentials, while Buffy kept the Turok-han somewhat occupied.

"Personally, I prefer the kicking ass part, but, hey. We all have different hobbies. You doing alright, B?" Faith wondered, wincing, as the Turok-han flung her twenty feet away.

"Peachy," Buffy said, standing, and brushing herself off.

"Good." Faith grinned. "My turn."

For the next few seconds, the Turok-han and Faith sparred, before even Faith was flung away, landing beside Buffy, swearing wildly. Buffy helped her up, shaking her head in mock-scolding.

"You really need to work on your manners."

The potentials gave them incredulous looks. They were about to be killed and they were bickering?

"Together?" Buffy asked.

"I think so," Faith nodded.

Together, they jumped off the wooden platform they'd been on, landing several feet below, in front of the uber-vampire who sneered at them.

"Now," Buffy said. "Let's finish this, bitch."

"Who needs working on their language now?" Faith sing-songed.

"What can I say," Buffy said, making a round-house kick at the vampire who stumbled a little. "I got caught up in the moment." Buffy then pulled out her wand, whispering a spell at herself which made her float up in the air several feet. "Accio crossbow!" She then yelled, and the crossbow landed in her hands, right before her first spell ended, and she started to fall back down, landing steadily on her two feet.

"Show-off," Faith muttered, punching the vamp in the face, making him stumble back into Buffy's line of fire. Buffy grinned and shot of an arrow which impaled itself in the vamps heart. Faith didn't waste any time. Both she and Buffy knew that wasn't enough to kill the Turok-han, but the arrow at least paused the vampire in its steps, giving Faith a chance to strike. She jumped and kicked the vampire to the ground, but he reacted quicker than expected and threw her up, several dozen feet in the air, through the scaffold platform, on which Faith got a grip, and she dragged herself up, moaning slightly in pain.

"Look out!" Buffy yelled as the vampire scaled the platform to get to the vampire Slayer, and he grabbed her around the throat, strangling her, making Faith choke as she struggled.

Buffy quickly rushed towards them, jumping onto the Turok-han's back, making the vampire drop Faith, who immediately turned around and pulled out the arrow of his chest before jabbing it into his eye. The vampire roared in pain, and threw himself backwards, crushing Buffy, still on his back, between himself and the ground.

Buffy quickly pushed the vampire off of herself, and grabbed the end of a barbed wire which Faith reached out towards her. Together, they slipped it around the vampire's throat, pulling hard, effectively severing its head, and making it explode in a cloud of dust.

Faith and Buffy stood, looking up at their audience.

"See?" Faith croaked, her throat still a little sore. "Dust. Just like the rest of them. Nothing is impossible to kill."

"We don't know what's coming next," Buffy continued, slipping an arm around Remus as he and the other Scoobies climbed down, joining them in looking up at the potentials, who, for once, were completely silent.

"But we do know it's going to be just like this. Hard. Painful. But in the end it's going to be us. If we all do our parts, and believe in it, we'll be the ones left standing." She grinned, and slipped her other arm around Faith, who was standing with her arm around Willow, with her arm around Tara, with her arm around Anya, with her arm around Xander, with his arm around Joyce, with her arm around Giles. "Together, we can do anything."

The potentials all smiled at each other, as they climbed down, with Vi helping Molly, and walked out of the construction site after the gang, still with their arms around each other, laughing and joking. Trust amongst friends was back.

* * *

**A/N: **Hope you like it! Please REVIEW! And for interested extra-fanatical readers, a "Hogwarts yearbook" page has been put up at my website and can be accessed from the "Out of the Blue"-series page. 'Til next time: Please REVIEW!

/Ida

* * *


	7. My girl

**Never the Same**

Chapter 7 – My girl.

DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything…

RATING: PG-13 (T) to R (M) - violence, language, angst, horror, possible mild sexual interactions, etc. If you can watch BTVS/AtS and read HP, I doubt you'll have any problem with this story.

TIMELINE: Sequel to "Out of the Blue" and "Red Horizon" (Part 3 in the series), and begin where we left in "Red Horizon" chapter 39, and a bit before BTVS season 7, though it's almost completely AU, with many changes from the real plot.

SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. Sequel to RH. _"You can run but you can't hide, evil finds you everywhere. Peace and quiet can no one provide, who said life was ever fair?" _Starting over is something that definitely falls into the 'easier said than done'-category. Buffy and Remus are doing their best to move on, and get used to the changes and the new turn their life has taken, but it's not easy...especially not when living on a Hellmouth.

CENTRAL PAIRING: Buffy/Remus

OTHER PAIRINGS: Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya

**Special Thanks to:** **My Beta –** CharmedChick

* * *

"Now...if I were a sign of being evil, where would I be?" Buffy muttered to herself, as she looked around Principal Wood's office with a flashlight. Ever since Remus had told her he'd met Wood in the basement- with no good excuse- when he'd been looking for Buffy, she had been wary of the this far suspiciously nice principal. After all, everyone knew principals were evil - well, kind of (Snyder)- or just plain weird (Flutie). So this was why she was here, putting her nose were it probably shouldn't be in the middle of the night. Since Wood was here during the day, that would not count as very smart. 

"Aha!" Buffy exclaimed, as she got sight of a cabinet on the wall. Suddenly, someone clearedtheir throat from behind her, and Buffy spun around in surprise.

"Buffy?"

"Principal Wood! It's you." She flushed. "Eh...what are you doing here? It's the middle of the night."

Wood raised his eyebrows. "I was just going to ask you the same thing. After all, it's the middle of the night. And this is my office - I was just coming to pick up some files I'd forgotten."

"This is your office?" Buffy laughed nervously. "Sorry. My bad. I thought it was mine. I came to pick up some files too...must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. I mean...it's a big school." She nodded seriously. "A very big school. And it's dark. You know, hard to find your way."

Wood's lips twitched. "Right. Hey, Buffy?"

Buffy, who'd been slowly but systematically edging herself towards the exit during their conversation, and now had reached it, froze in her step.

"Yes?" She squeaked.

"What are you doing tomorrow night?"

"Umm...preparing for the day after tomorrow?" He wasn't trying to kill her? Weird.

"No, really."

'Snuggling up with Remus in front of a show about a millionaire and trying to ignore the chattering teenaged potential Slayers'

"Umm...nothing. Why?"

"Well, then, I'd, um... I'd like to take you out to dinner, if that's all right with you. I mean, you don't have to. I'm certainly not saying come to dinner if you enjoy having a job." He let out a nervous chuckle and scratched his bald head. "You know, I may have to make up a document saying I didn't just say that and have you sign it."

'Aha!' Buffy thought. _'That's his plan. Take me out, seduce me, and then kill me when I least suspect it. Lucky me; I have an excuse!'_

Buffy thought. 

"Sorry," Buffy said._ 'No, I'm not.' _"But I already have a boyfriend. Remember Remus? You met him at the grand opening." She nodded. "He's the jealous type, you know. I had this friend, who was a male, and we went out, but when Remus found out, he went completely mad and shoved a fork up his ass and ate him for dinner. Sometimes, I wonder if he's not from another planet. Really, if you value your life, don't ask me again."

Wood's lips twitched. "Ate him for dinner? Really? Somehow, I didn't get that impression of him. He seemed to be the quiet type. Not someone who shoves...forks up people's asses."

"It's always the quiet ones," Buffy said brightly. "Bye!"

"Hey, wait!" Wood said. "Please. Just as co-workers. Completely professional- I'll even let you ask your boyfriend before you agree, to make sure he's not going to kill me- itäs just...it's silly, but I have this...thing, and I think you would benefit from knowing what it is."

'Yeah. Right.'

"Fine," Buffy finally sighed. _'I'll show up...in your dreams...'_

"Great!" Wood grinned widely. "I'll meet you here, outside, ten o'clock. You won't regret it, I promise."

'Somehow, I doubt that.'

* * *

"Let me see if I got this straight. Your boss asked you to dinner?" Remus wondered. 

"Yes."

"And you agreed?"

"Yes. Well, pretended to."

"And you told him I was a crazy lunatic who eats people for dinner?"

"Ye- hey!" Buffy pouted as Remus laughed. "It's not funny! I was desperate!"

"Right," Remus snorted. "Next time, try to come up with a better excuse. I doubt he bought that even for a second." He sobered. "Still, I think you should go."

"What?"

"Well, if he does have information you would benefit from, can you risk not going?" Remus asked. "It might be important."

"But what if it's a trap?" Buffy protested. "He might be evil."

"I know. But if it's a trap, I know you can handle yourself. If worst comes to worst, apparate the Hell out of there. Really, Buffy, I think you should go.

Buffy sighed. "Fine. But if I have to suffer through a night with my boss who is annoyingly charming, I expect something nice when I get back."

Remus grinned. "You bet."

* * *

When Buffy came to the school the next night, five minutes late (on purpose), Wood was already waiting. He raised his eyebrows at Buffy's outfit. 

"You look...nice."

Buffy grinned. "Ido, don'tI?" She smirked to herself. She had dressed up in leather, from top to bottom, with two throwing knives fastened by the sides of her boots. "After all, we're just going as co-workers, right? And I really like this outfit- keeps robbers away."

"Right," Wood said, reaching out an arm for Buffy to take, but she just ignored it.

"So, where are we eating dinner?"

Wood grinned. "This way, lady Summers."

"I'm not a lady," Buffy half grumbled, half sing-songed under her breath.

* * *

'This is bad,' Buffy thought. _'Bad, bad. A bad idea...'_

Buffy thought. 

She and Wood was walking in a dark alley, with Wood whistling, hands in his pockets, while Buffy's eyes darted from side to side nervously, checking out her surroundings for any signs of an ambush.

"This is not right," Buffy said, stopping.

"I know it doesn't look promising, but I swear this place is great," Wood said, stopping his whistling and coming to halt beside Buffy. "It's the best kept secret in town. It's just right down this way."

"The very long, very dark way," Buffy mumbled. "Must be a very good secret."

"I promise you, just a little bit further," Wood prompted. Buffy glared and started to walk again. "Fine. But if this is some kind of trap - "

No sooner had she said that, when suddenly a vampire jumped out of nowhere, several others joining it. Buffy immediately started to fight them, swearing wildly at the same time.

"I'm going to kill you!" She yelled at Wood, while pulling out one of the knives from her boots. "I knew this was a trap! I just knew- "

She paused, and her eyes grew wide as she got sight of Wood, also fighting the vampires with no problem, staking vamp after vamp.

"Whaa- "

After finishing the last vamp off, Wood turned back to Buffy. "I guess we should talk."

Buffy just nodded dumbly. _'What thehell is going on?'_

* * *

"This is a really...comfy place," Buffy said, looking around the small, but inviting restaurant. 

"It sure is, isn't it?" Wood agreed, sitting down by a table and picking up the menu.

"So," Buffy said, crossing her arms over her chest, after Wood had ordered from the waitress who'd given Buffy nervous looks after getting sight of her outfit. "Who are you? Or what are you?"

Wood chuckled. "I guess you're not one to bounce around the subject, hmm?"

"No," Buffy stated, mad that her carefully laid out plan that consisted of finding out Wood was evil, kicking his ass, and then going home to shag, had ran out in the sand.

"Right," Wood said. "I'm a principal- I really enjoy it- "

Buffy glared.

"Of course. Cut to the chase," Wood muttered. "Besides being a principal during the day, I slay vamps and demons at night - Although this was the first time I've taken out several at once."

"How do I know this is not a set-up to lure me into a false sense of security and then stab me in the back?" Buffy wondered. "How do I know you're not just trying to earn my trust?"

"Oh, I am. Trying to earn your trust. But I'm not going to stab you in the back. Really, Buffy," Wood grinned. "You need to cut down on the paranoia."

In answer, Buffy just raised her eyebrow. Wood sighed.

"So I guess we're not becoming best friends then. Well, I know this is the Hellmouth, which is just a big magnet for things that go grrr in the night. I also know we're heading for something big, Buffy. And I need to be there when it happens. I need to help. And I know you're the Slayer- or one of two- so you're obviously the way to go."

"So I guess you didn't hire me for my counseling skills then," Buffy muttered.

Wood burst out laughing, then hastily cleared his throat as he got sight of Buffy's look. "They're valuable too..."

"Why?" Buffy asked, changing the subject back. "Why do you want to help? Do you have some kind of hero-complex, or what?"

"No. Not exactly. But...my mother was one. The one, actually. The Slayer. I'm just continuing her work."

Buffy's eyes grew round, and she sat up a little straighter. His mother had been a Slayer? All her suspicions and hostility flew out the window.

"Your mother was a Slayer?" She asked. "That is..." She leaned closer over the table. "Tell me everything. I want to know everything- being the kid to a Slayer- how does that work?"

Wood raised his eyebrows. "Wow. That was a quick mood-swing. Why are you so interested?"

Buffy flushed. "Well," she said, trying to sound nonchalant and failing. "You never know what happens in the future. I might end up pregnant someday, you know."

"Thanks to Remus, the man-eating monster from Mars?"

Buffy flushed. "Yeah. Probably. Although, scratch the whole man-eating monster slash alien thing. I made that one up."

Wood smirked. "I kind of figured."

* * *

"I'm back!" Buffy yelled, a couple of hours later, closing the door behind her and Wood. 

"So this is how you live, huh?"

"At the moment."

Remus came down the stairs, dressed in jeans and a white shirt with the top three buttons undone. Buffy melted at the sight of him, grinning, and gave him a long hug.

"How did it go?" Remus wondered, returning it, then getting sight of Wood. "Oh, hi. Principal Wood."

Wood smiled. "Hi. Buffy has told me so many interesting things about you."

"Really. The whole alien thing- not true," Remus said, giving Buffy a look. Buffy buried her head deeper against Remus chest.

"Yeah. I know. But a werewolf, huh? Must be interesting."

"Actually, no. It's mostly rather painful."

"Wood's mother was a Slayer," Buffy spoke up, and Remus raised an eyebrow at her.

"A Slayer? Huh."

"Yep. A Slayer. Like me," Buffy said, with a pointed look at her boyfriend who's lips twitched. Honestly. Subtlety wasn't her thing.

"Really."

"Yeah. Hey Faith!" Buffy waved at Faith with a stupid grin, as the dark haired Slayer came out in the Hallway. "This is Robin Wood. Wood, this is Faith, she's the other Slayer and will show you around now."

"I will?" Faith blinked.

"Yeah," Buffy grinned, grabbing Remus shirt and started to drag him up the stairs. "Remus and I are gonna be busy making babies."

Wood and Faith raised their eyebrows, and Remus flushed. "We are?" He asked meekly. Not that he didn't want children, because he did, but...now?

"Yeah. Maybe not right now, considering we're in the middle of an apocalypse, but we could practice."

"Right." Remus squeaked as Buffy pulled in him harder. "Bye," he said to Faith and Wood, who were doing their best not to laugh.

"Have a nice night!" Faith called. "Try not to be too loud!"

* * *

"This used to belong to your mother?" Faith asked, slightly in awe, as she gave the large leather duffel bag a good look over, along with Willow and Xander. 

"Yes. A sort of...Slayer emergency kit. I was going to give it to Buffy, but since you're the actual Slayer according to the timeline, I guess it's yours. And, you don't seem as hostile."

Faith grinned. "B can be a pain."

"I-I'm sorry for interrupting," Giles asked. "But if this belongs to the Slayer, why keep it for so long?"

Wood shrugged. "Sentimentality. I would have kept it a lot longer - selfish, I know- but I think what's inside might be of a help for you."

Faith nodded, and opened the bag. "Right. Let's see what's inside..." she frowned, and pulled out... "A book." She wrinkled her nose in disappointment and threw it to Giles, before looking at the rest of the contents. "Trinkets, weapons...but nothing I don't have already." She slumped down in a chair. "That was a let-down."

"And the book is in Sumerian," Giles said, as he flipped through it. "Are you sure there was nothing else?"

"Just some big, fat box," Faith said flippantly, throwing her feet up on the table, ignoring Giles' frown.

"And you don't think it's important?"

"Boxes are boring," Faith sing-songed, lighting a cigarette.

Xander snickered, while Willow nodded. "Yeah. Boring. O-or bad. Bad things come out of boxes."

Giles glared and pulled out the box of the bag, trying to open it, but with no luck. "Doesn't this thing have a key?"

"Sorry," Wood shrugged.

"Hey," Buffy said brightly, stepping into the kitchen, along with a slightly disheveled looking Remus. "What is that?"

"Boring stuff," Faith said.

"A box," Giles explained. "That can not be opened- well, until now."

Buffy had broken off the lock, and opened the lid expectantly, only to be hit with a cloud of dust. And just like that, she was gone.

"Buffy!" Remus exclaimed, rushing towards the box, which had sealed itself shut again. "What in Merlin's name is going on...?"

Faith snickered. "Hello, Buffy in the bottle- I mean, box. Did I tell you how glad I am I didn't open that?"

"This is no laughing matter," Giles said. "I really wish Buffy would have waited with opening the box, considering what the book says."

"And what is that, exactly?" Remus snapped, worried about Buffy.

"I-it says whoever opens the box, also open a portal."

"Great! Another portal," Willow groaned. "Buffy seems to have a taste for those things."

"A portal to what?" Remus demanded.

"Eh...it's a little muddy, but it seems as if...she will go back to the beginning," Giles said, cleaning his glasses.

"The beginning? Like the Big Bang?" Xander asked stupidly.

"No. The beginning of the Slayer."

* * *

"Uhhh...hello?" Buffy asked, looking around in the desert wasteland. "Anyone home? Didn't think so." She threw herself to the ground with a theatrical sigh. "I hate my life." Her eyes widened as three large shadows suddenly stood over her. "And now I hate it even more." And then everything went black.

* * *

Remus was pacing in the living room, while the others were bickering over what to do. Suddenly, there was a bright flash from the box, and the lid opened. Another cloud of dust flew out, along with Buffy, who coughed, and stumbled backwards, straight into Remus' arms, as he'd hurried over as soon as he saw the blinding light. 

"What happened?"

"Are you okay?"

"Fine," Buffy coughed again. "Not something I'd like to experience ever again, but I'm fine."

"Did you find out anything?" Giles asked eagerly. Remus gave him a glare. "Let her recover before you begin interrogating her."

"No, it's fine," Buffy sighed, gratefully accepting the glass of water Willow gave her. "Thanks." She shuddered. "There were three men there- the Slayer's creator. They filled a normal girl with the energy - the spirit- of a demon. That's where our powers come from."

"Great," Faith groaned. "Our ancestor's a demon. That's something I did not need to know- or wanted to know."

"Well," Buffy said darkly. "There's a lot more you probably don't want to know. But need to know. Remember the Turok-han?"

"All too well."

"He wasn't alone." She looked up at the room's occupants with a grave look. "I saw what was inside the Hellmouth. An army of Turok-han. And I'm not talking about ten, our even a hundred. I'm talking about thousands. Thousands upon thousands of uber-vampires. All at the First's disposal." She slumped back, defeated. "We can't fight this. What we're doing now...it's not enough. It's never going to be enough."

* * *

The next few days passed by in silence. Buffy was quiet after her expedition, and the rest of the Scoobies were rather subdued too, lost in what Buffy had revealed. None of them really knew what to do. The potentials all felt the sober mood, and it affected them all -they were less loud and more quiet. At any other time, everyone would have welcomed the silence- but now, it seemed out of place, and only enforced the knowledge of that something was wrong- and maybe it wouldn't be alright.

* * *

"I can't handle this!" Buffy slammed the books she was reading down at the table with a loud slam. "We sit here, researching the First in books we know have nothing we need. The students at Sunnydale high are all wacky because the seal is letting out bad energy, but we're doing nothing to close it. Whatever's coming- whenever the First decides he'll take out its trump card of uber-vamps - will come from the seal." 

"But you said it yourself, Buffy," Willow said. "Closing the seal now won't matter- the First will open it later anyway. Without any problems."

"I know. But if we close it now, at least we could put a temporary stop to the madness. I need to do something."

Faith stood up. "She's right. We've never been ones who sit on our butts and wait for the end to come. We've always been out there, facing it head on. I for one am tired of sitting."

"But we don't know what closes the seal," Tara said. "How are we going to do it?"

"My guess? Magic. If there's one thing that might close it, it should be magic." Buffy gave Remus, Willow and Tara a look. "And for that, I need help."

"We'll go with," Faith said, with a look at Robin. "Spike too."

"I am?"

Faith ignored him. "If the students are all crazy, as you said, you might need someone to keep them occupied."

"You mean I'll get to fight?" Spike lit up. "I'm in!"

"Eh...maybe not. The chip, remember?" Xander said.

"Oh, right." Faith gave Spike a look. "Well, let him come with anyway. If the kids are possessed, maybe the chip will let him make an exception."

* * *

When they came to the High school, they immediately got split up. Robin, Spike and Faith stayed put and started to defend themselves against the attacking students. Well, Robin and Faith did, while Spike, after trying (and failing) to hit two of them, quickly followed Willow, Tara, Buffy and Remus to the basement. 

"Oh, crap," Buffy muttered, as she got sight of five kids turned Bringers, who immediately attacked them. "Willow, Tara, Spike, lure them out of here. Remus and I will deal with the seal."

"Finally, something I can hit," Spike licked his lips and vamped out.

"They're still students," Willow said, while throwing a magic energy ball at one of the kids. This made them all angry, and they came rushing at her all at once. Spike grabbed one of them and hit him hard over the head. He grinned, as he realized he didn't get any headache.

"Guess not," Willow muttered, rushing out of the basement, Tara, Spike and the five Bringers right behind. In the meantime, Buffy and Remus went closer to the seal, which was glowing.

"This is...creepy," Buffy shuddered, looking up, staring at the wheel on which she had once been stuck on.

"Yeah..." Remus leaned closer to the seal, frowning, as he pulled out his wand. "Maybe...these signs...maybe they mean something." He leaned down even closer, and let out a yelp as he lost his balance and fell on top of the seal.

Buffy spun around. "Are you okay?"

Remus stood up, his back turned to Buffy. "Of course, I'm alright. Why wouldn't I be?" He turned back around, revealing his eyes, completely white. "After all, you're here with me."

Buffy took a step backwards. "Remus?"

Remus smirked. "Always, baby. What? Cat got your tongue? Thank you, Buffy. This body..." he stroked his arms lovingly. "It's really...fit. I like it. I couldn't have gotten it without you though. Let's play a game. Ever heard of the little Red Riding Hood? Well, you're she, and I'm the wolf. How about that?"

Buffy shook her head, taking another step backwards. "No...you're not Remus...you're the First."

'Remus' laughed. "Figured it out, did you?"

"Get the hell out of him," Buffy sneered. "Now."

"You don't make the rules, little girl." The First - 'Remus' -sighed. "I do. Now, this is the part where you say- but 'Remus, your voice sounds so odd. Is something the matter?' And then I say 'Oh, I'm just being possessed.'" Remus laughed. "Isn't it fun?"

"Stop it," Buffy's lips trembled. "Stop it now."

"You don't like the game?" 'Remus' pouted and then smirked. "I'm sorry, hon. Can I make you feel better, somehow? Come over here, and let me hold you. I promise it won't hurt. Much."

Buffy took another step back. 'Remus' took a step closer to the edge of the seal. "Too bad." He grinned. "You know what, Buffy? I think you're pathetic. A pathetic little girl who can do nothing but cry and whine when things aren't going her way. A stupid little girl who thinks she's so tough - as long as she has her friends, and her boyfriend. Guess what? Your friends- they're not really your friends. And your boyfriend - " 'Remus' placed a hand over his heart. "He's so tired of you, and wishes you'd just kill yourself. It would make the world a much better place."

"No." Tears streamed down Buffy's face. "You're lying."

"Oh, did I make you cry?" 'Remus' laughed and took another step closer to the edge. "Again. You're really good at that, aren't you? The only thing you're good at. That, and getting your friends killed of course. I wonder...how long do you think I will stay alive?"

"You're not Remus," Buffy bit out. "Get out of him."

"But I like it in here. He's so hot and warm..." he scratched his chest. "And a little itchy. What is that feeling? Oh...maybe it's the wild animal inside." 'Remus' grinned, and sighed. "Ah, the power I feel...it's too bad he's keeping it locked up. Hidden away...hey, maybe I could help him release it?"

"GET OUT OF HIM, NOW!" Buffy exploded.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist," 'Remus' snickered. "Answer this question for me. What is a man like this," he pointed at himself, "doing with a loser like you? Hmm? What do you have that makes you so attractive? Tell me that. What is it about you that is so important?" He leaned closer. "The looks? Nah. You're starting to look a little rough around the edges. The mind?" He snorted. "Probably not- you've always been an idiot. How about...the heart?" He gave her puppy dog eyes. "That must be it, isn't it? Your spirit, your soul...that bleeding, red, big heart of yours. Well...let me tell you something- your spirit is a joke. It's broken. So is your soul- it has given up. As for your heart- the only thing it does, is beating. For now. How long do you think you can keep it that way? It will break, Buffy. And if it doesn't...well, then I'll just rip it out. Bye." 'Remus' took a last step forward, which lead him off the seal, and he slumped forwards.

Buffy sank to her knees beside the seal and Remus' slumped form, sobbing.

"Buffy?" Remus sounded confused, as he looked up, his eyes back to his normal, warm amber color. "What happened?"

"It-it it possessed you!" Buffy cried, hugging Remus close. "It said things...through you."

"Shh..." Remus placed a kiss on her forehead. "Whatever it said...don't believe it. It's just a big liar. I love you. If you don't believe anything else, believe that, at least."

"Why? Why should I? Why do you love me?"

"Because you're you. And I believe in you. All of you."

Buffy clutched him closer. "I don't know how much more of this I can take," she sobbed, big fat tears falling down her face. "I can't handle this. It's too much...too much." A tear fell down upon the seal, and the glow began to fade. Another tear fell upon it...and another...and another.

Buffy hiccupped, her crying coming to a stop, as she noticed what was happening to the seal. "Remus...look."

Remus twisted his head around, his eyes widening, as he saw what was happening to the seal.

"It's closing..." he whispered in awe. "Your tears...Buffy...you fixed it. You closed it. You did it. You really did it..."

Buffy clutched Remus closer, a small smile breaking out on her face. "Yeah...I guess I did." Her face became the picture of determination. "We will defeat this. I don't know how yet, but we will. We are stronger than this...better than this. I won't let it break me."

Remus smiled in Buffy's hair. "That's my girl."

* * *

**A/N: **I never seem to let poor Buffy get a break...oh, well - what can I say? I like it. -Evil grin- 'Til next time, people! Please REVIEW!

/Ida

* * *


	8. I'll bee seeing you

**Never the Same**

Chapter 8 – I'll bee seeing you.

DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything…

RATING: PG-13 (T) to R (M) - violence, language, angst, horror, possible mild sexual interactions, etc. If you can watch BTVS/AtS and read HP, I doubt you'll have any problem with this story.

TIMELINE: Sequel to "Out of the Blue" and "Red Horizon" (Part 3 in the series), and begin where we left in "Red Horizon" chapter 39, and a bit before BTVS season 7, though it's almost completely AU, with many changes from the real plot.

SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. Sequel to RH. _"You can run but you can't hide, evil finds you everywhere. Peace and quiet can no one provide, who said life was ever fair?"_

Starting over is something that definitely falls into the 'easier said than done'-category. Buffy and Remus are doing their best to move on, and get used to the changes and the new turn their life has taken, but it's not easy...especially not when living on a Hellmouth.

CENTRAL PAIRING: Buffy/Remus

OTHER PAIRINGS: Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya

**Special Thanks to:** **My Beta –** CharmedChick

* * *

"I spy with my little eye, something that begins with...T."

"Tree?"

Willow pouted. "How did you know?"

A snort was heard from the passenger-seat. "The only thing in a miles radius is you, me, the car we're sitting in, the pick-up truck in front of us, the road we're driving on and the sky above us. Neither of these things begin with a 'T'. The only thing left is the trees."

"Oh. Right. Stupid logic," Willow muttered, then she lit up. "I know something else with a 'T'. Tara."

Tara laughed. "That might be it - but I was not what you were thinking of."

"But you were- you're always on my mind," Willow said with a cheesy smile. Tara grinned and leaned over, looking her girlfriend seductively in the eyes.

"Prove it."

Willow grinned back. "My pleasure...oh, CRAP!" Willow burst out, turning her eyes back to the road, and stomping hard on the breaks as a girl wassuddenly flung out of the truck in front of them, and landed on the road, coming to a stop first after rolling several meters. Tara flung her door open even before their car had stopped completely, and rushed out towards the girl.

"Are you okay! Can you hear me!" She looked up at Willow who climbed out of the driver's seat. "We need to get her to the hospital."

Willow nodded, and pulled up a cellphone. "I'll call ahead and tell them to expect us." She started todial a number, muttering jokingly to herself at the same time. "So much for our romantic drive in the moonlight..."

* * *

"And you're sure she's one of us?" Faith wondered, looking at Willow and Tara.

"Well..." Willow hesitated. "Of course we don't know...not until she wakes up...but it seems to fit. Right?" She looked around the assembled people in Revello Drive's living room.

"Right. 'Cause as far as we know, there's no one else enjoying torturing teenage girls and leaving them to die other than the First," Anya said. "Except rapists. Or murderers. Or psycho-bitches. Or all three of them."

"Thanks, Anya, for that...very interesting input. It cleared up a lot." Giles said, sighing, pulling off his glasses to start cleaning them. "Willow's right. She certainly fits the profile, and it's worth checking into."

"So then we wait," Buffy said. "Until she wakes up, there's nothing we can do. Someone should be at the hospital with her. She shouldn't be alone when she regains consciousness."

"I can do it," Remus raised his arm. "As Giles says, I'm the only one who doesn't have a life. Kidding," he then said, as he saw everybody look at him. "Mostly," he added under his breath.

"Oooh, I volunteer too!" Molly said, waving with her hand enthusiastically. "You know, we could bond, potential to potential, chosen to chosen." She frowned. "Although I'm not sure what we would talk about...I've never been gutted up before. I've never been to an American hospital before either. Do they sell cookies? They always sold cookies in the hospital I went to as a kid. Cookies and tea."

Kennedy rolled her eyes. "Oh, grow up..."

"Well...if someone's supposed to represent the future Slayer-line, I'm not sure Molly's the way to go," Annabelle sniffed. "No offense to you, but you're not exactly exemplary material for representing our calling."

Molly stuck out her tongue.

"Molly and Remus it is," Buffy said, after she finished gulping down her coffee, effectively putting an end to the discussion. "The rest of you lot: Training in the backyard with Faith."

"And what are you gonna do then?" Rhona asked. "Sit here?"

"No," Buffy pouted, putting down her now empty coffee-mug. "I have a job to go to."

* * *

"You're firing me!"

"Yes."

"YOU are firing ME?"

"Yes."

"YOU'RE ACTUALLY FIRING ME!"

"YES!" Wood sighed, burying his dark, bald head in his hands. "How many times do I have to repeat myself: You're fired. Effective immediately. Go home."

Buffy slumped down in the chair in front of the Principal's desk.

"Oh My God. I just knew this was too good to last. Buffy Summers and High Schools, no matter the business there...it always ends with me being thrown out. "

Wood looked amused. "Buffy...there's no work for you here. Everyone's leaving town. Everyone. Half the kids don't even bother showing up anymore. And I thought you should be happy. Now you have time over for the more pressing matters. Such as the big war and the dead..."

"...little girls, I know." Buffy sighed, and stood up, walking towards the exit. Then she spun around, stomping back to the desk. "You can't be firing me!"

Wood groaned. "Buffy..."

"No! You canät fire me! Not like this! Let's do it right. Say it again."

"Huh?"

"Say it again: Say you're firing me. If you're gonna do this, I have to do this my way."

Wood stared at Buffy,breathing deeply and quietly countingto ten, before opening his mouth. "Miss Summers. You're fired. Effective immediately."

"Too late," Buffy snapped, drawing herself up to her full (albeit very short) height. "I quit. I want a letter of recommendation on my desk and a full months extra pay for the suffering this will cause me." She then stomped around the desk to the wall-cabinet, opened it, rose it out of the way, and grabbed a long silver sword, pointing it at a now gawking Wood threateningly, moving slowly towards the exit without moving her eyes from the Principal.

Wood kept gawking even after Buffy had left, before shaking his head and burying his head in the paper work. Only to be interrupted as Buffy came striding back in, returning the sword to its place.

"How did I do?" She asked excitedly, grinning widely and bouncing on her heels. "Even though you're not Snyder and this isn't the library, I think it brought back memories. Was it realistic?"

Wood stared at her like she was crazy. "Very," he finally said in a short tone.

Buffy's grin widened even further in pleasure and she started to dance her way out of the room. Wood sighed and returned to his pile of papers once again. It took five whole seconds before Buffy stuck her head back in through the door. "I should have been an actress."

"Right," Wood said, without looking up. "Go home." He heard the door close. "And for God's sake, get some sleep. Or cut down on the alcohol or whatever it is you're high on," he muttered to himself.

* * *

"Hey, Faith," Remus greeted as the dark-haired Slayer stepped into the hospital room. "I thought you were training the potentials?"

"Oh, I was," Faith said. "But I had B take over. She looked- and sounded- like she had a lot of extra and un-needed energy to get rid of. Not that I think the potentials can give her much a challenge."

"Buffy's back? Already? I thought she was at work," Molly frowned.

"And she was. Until she got fired. Or quit. Or whatever. She was a bit fussy on the details, you know?" Faith turned to Remus again. "And overly chirpy. Does she have a PMS problem or something? Except that she gets all happy-go-lucky instead of grumpy?"

"Uhh...not that I know of..." Remus said slowly, staring at Faith like she was mad.

"Right." Faith shrugged, ignoring Remus' look. "You should check on her when you get back. I think the stress is finally getting to her. And I think the chick's awake," she added, as she saw the possible potentials eyes flutter open.

Remus stepped over to the bed, making slow motions so he wouldn't scare her.

"Hey. My name's Remus Lupin. Do you know who you are?"

"Shannon," the girl croaked. "Where am I?"

"Sunnydale hospital," Faith spoke up. "That's Molly over there, and I'm Faith."

"Oh, thank God," the girl breathed. "You're a Slayer?"

"Uh-hu."

"Do you remember what happened?" Molly asked, grabbing Shannon's hand supportively. For once, she was actually serious.

Shannon nodded. "I was being hunted. By these men...they had black robes and...no eyes..."

"Bringers," Faith said knowingly. "Continue."

"I ran...and as I got to the main road, a car picked me up...he was a-a minister or something. At least he looked like it." She choked. "And I was so grateful that he'd saved me. Until he started to speak...he said I was dirty...and that those...Bringers...where his boys. And then he burnt me." Shannon pointed to her neck, removing a bandage to reveal a circular burnt mark. Remus frowned and pulled out his wand. "This won't hurt...just hold still," he mumbled, pointing his wand at the wound and muttering a spell. Then, he pulled the wand away, muttering another spell, and an empty photograph appeared out of nowhere. Molly and Shannon was staring, transfixed, and even Faith looked interested, as Remus pointed his wand at the empty photo and mumbled a third spell, and an exact copy of Shannon's wound appeared on it.

"Wicked," Molly breathed, turning to Shannon with a grin. "Remus can do the coolest thing- he does this cracking thing, that's really awesome, and- "

" - Then what?" Faith wondered, interrupting Molly's rambling. "Was that when he stabbed you and threw you out of the truck?"

Shannon shook her head slowly, putting the bandage back in its place. "No. He gave me a message to give to the Slayer. Then he stabbed me...and then he pushed me out."

"What was the message?"

Shannon swallowed, hesitating. "H-he said...he said it was for the real Slayer...Buffy."

Faith clenched her fists. "I'll make sure she gets it," she said through gritted teeth.

Shannon nodded, apparently not noticing. "Alright..."

* * *

"'I have something of yours?' That's what he said?"

"Yeah. And feel special, B," Faith said, grinning. "It was meant for you specifically. Do you know him or something? Maybe you've had an affair?" She said, her eyebrows waggling suggestively.

"It could be anything," Buffy muttered, pacing around the kitchen, ignoring Faith's comment. "Another potential...a weapon...if...maybe..." she sighed. "We know nothing about this guy, Faith. What he had...it could be anything...anyone- or nothing. It could be a trap. Who knows what he's capable of."

"And I don't care. I say we go there, take back whatever he says he has, and get out. Fast. Simple. And fun." Faith grinned, shrugging.

Buffy let out a frustrated cry. "But my point is that we're walking blind. We know he looks like a priest, and that's it."

"So more research?" Faith groaned. "B, I see your point, I do, but sitting around looking for facts that don't exist...it's not my thing. I say we find him and kick his butt. He's one man. We're two Slayers, one with magic, plus we've got one vampire, two wiccans, an ex-demon and a carpenter, not to mention your mojo-swinging boyfriend - and we have an army of potentials in desperate need of experience- and exercise. I say the odds are in our favor."

Buffy frowned. "Yeah...but who knows what he's got at his disposal? Shannon said the Bringers were his."

"We've taken out several Bringers before. I don't see the problem." Faith complained, swinging an arm around Buffy. "Come on, B. Don't you ever want to cut loose? Do something wild and crazy? And I don't mean in the way you was acting earlier - that was just plain weird."

Buffy flushed. "You noticed that, huh?"

"Yeah. I mean, honestly. Were you high or something?"

"I might have drunk a little too much coffee," Buffy mumbled.

Faith snorted, clearly not believing her. "Right."

"I was! Buffy and coffee don't mix."

"If you say so. But honestly, B, come on!" Faith pouted. "I want to kick some ass- we have a priest that is in serious need of being kicked, and we're Slayers - the chosen two!" She flung out with her hands. "I don't see the problem- we can take him. Easily! If you really want to, we can check the place out first, to make sure he doesn't have any super army of demons waiting or something. Are you in or not? 'Cause if you're not, I'll just go by myself."

Buffy sighed. "Fine. But we're checking the place out first. And we bring the others. I'm not ready to die yet, and neither are you, I expect, so we should have back-up."

Faith shrugged. "You're the boss."

* * *

"No eyes, but look at him," Faith said, nodding towards the Bringer they were following. "Is he Daredevil or something?"

Buffy snorted, and then quickly interrupted herself, giving Faith a glare. "Be quiet!"

"You're so tense B," Faith said, grinning widely. "Doesn't wolf-boy keep you satisfied?"

Buffy gave Faith another glare. "I don't see how my sex-life- "

"- Or lack thereof," Faith added.

"- Has got anything to do with this." Buffy paused, before adding: "And my sex-life is just fine, thank you very much. Fantastic even."

Faith chuckled. "Whatever you say B."

"It is!" Buffy insisted, then frowning. "Whenever we get the time."

"Or place. Which is never," Faith said knowingly. "Considering the floor in your room is overcome with potentialsof all ages with the beginnings of super-hearing."

Buffy gave her a long look. "I am so not discussing this with you," she finally said, turning her attention back to the Bringer.

Faith snickered.

* * *

"I'm bored," Faith whined. "Can we head back? It feels as if we've been walking for hours, and there's no sign of anything or anyone else in sight."

"Which might very well be what the priest wants us to think," Buffy said calmly, keeping moving through the bushes.

Faith groaned. "Remember what I said? About cutting loose? Have some faith!"

"I think you have more than enough for both of us. And I also think we've found the nest," Buffy added.

"Or in this case...the vineyard. What kind of guy lives in a vineyard?" Faith frowned. "Either way, I doubt we'll stumble upon an army in there. It's too small."

"Looks can deceive."

Faith rolled her eyes. "I think you make this harder than it has to be."

"It never hurts to be prepared. I'm moving closer."

Faith rolled her eyes. "I think not. Let's go back. We're wasting timeon nothing. It'll just bethe priest andmaybe one or two Bringers in there. Probably drinking their asses off. The Bringer we were following really looked like he wanted a refill. I doubt we'll meet much resistance. If any."

Buffy gave the vineyard one last, long look, before turning back. "Fine."

Faith grinned. "Yay."

* * *

"So B had a plan - "

" - It was mostly Faith's," Buffy corrected.

"Right. Whatever. You're too modest, B." Faith grinned, before turning back to the group of Scoobies and potentials, sitting in the living room, looking up at the two Slayers attentively. "Anyway, we've been looking around a bit, and we found the priest in a vineyard, alone, except possibly a couple of Bringers. So we think we should go there, take the bitch out, grab whatever he stole from us, and get back. We get some action, the potentials some real life experience and we reach our goal. Piece of cake."

"Good initiative, Faith," Giles said, nodding towards the dark haired Slayer appreciatively. "Doing some reckon first and not rushing into things. Very good."

Faith grinned, looking pleased. Buffy was silent, not bothering to correct Giles. It would just make her seem petty and jealous.

"Well, B wanted to bring all the potentials, but I think that's a little unnecessary. I say we bring those who've been here the longest. The first eight - Kennedy, Annabelle, Molly, Chloe, Rona, Vi, Amanda and Chao-Anne. The rest can stay behind."

"What if that's what he wants? To lure us away- the old bait-and-switch. It might be a trap." Spike spoke up.

"That's what I said," Buffy muttered to herself, but no one seemed to hear, except Remus, who gave her a sympathetic look.

Faith shrugged. "Willow, Tara, Joyce an Anya could look after them. You too, Spike. That way, we're guarded in all directions, right?"

"That's good." Giles said. "I'll stay behind as well, I think."

"Alright- everyone who comes along, grab a weapon," Faith clapped her hands together.

* * *

"This is crazy," Rona whined. "Brining us into battle. I came here for protection, not to fight."

Kennedy shrugged. "Then stay behind. I'm sure someone else will be happy to take your place. This is what I've been waiting for."

"Plus, you heard what they said," Annabelle spoke up. "They checked the place out first- or at least Faith did. Not sure about Buffy. She seems to be mostly in the way."

"Or put us in danger," Chloe nodded. "Remember when the First was here, living with us? Buffy was in the same room, and she didn't notice. If Faith hadn't showed up, we never would have known."

"It couldn't really hurt us," Molly frowned. "Non-corporeal, remember? Plus, if Faith hadn't gone to that Potential's place, we never would have known anyway."

"Yeah, still, I think Faith's cooler. She at least seems to know what she's doing," another Potential said. "Buffy seems insecure. Like earlier. She didn't even take credit for her plan in case we would have thought it bad."

"That's not insecure. That's modest," Vi said.

"Same thing," Kennedy shrugged. "Either way, Buffy has always seemed to be the weak link in the chain to me."

"You sung another tune when she kicked your ass," Molly sing-songed. Kennedy glared, and opened her mouth to retort, but suddenly, Xander came in and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Ladies. You're not fighting, are you?"

"No," Kennedy smirked. "Molly and I just have to agree to disagree."

Xander sighed. "Is this the whole who's-the-better-Slayer-gig?" He rubbed his forehead tiredly. "Let me tell you something. Both Faith and Buffy have their strengths and weaknesses. They are both just as good, but in different ways. All in all, they complement each other. And I might have known Faith longer, but I knew Buffy first, and let me tell you: She doesn't let herself be pulled down. She died, but she came up kicking. When Buffy returned, I was unfair to her, I regret that, and I'm trying to make it up to her. I don't care if I'm never forgiven, 'cause I won't forgive myself. I deserve it. 'Cause she's one hell of a girl- no, woman- and one hell of a Slayer. You're scared? That's smart. You got questions? You should. But don't doubt her motives, and don't doubt for a second that she can protect you. She cares more about you than you'll know. Trust her."

The potentials looked at each other. Suddenly, someone cleared a throat. Xander spun around. "Buffy! Faith! Hi!" His voice sounded strangely high-pitched. "You heard that?"

"Every word," Buffy said, her eyes glassy as she walked up to Xander and gave him a long hug. "And just so you know - I forgive you."

"Well, as much as the whole teary reunion thing is very touching," Faith said, "we've got a priest to kill."

* * *

"Okay," Buffy took a deep breath as the vineyard came into sight. "My suggestion's this- set up a perimeter and guard the door. I don't want anything getting in behind us. I'll take my team first - Remus, Kennedy, Annabelle, Molly, Chloe and Rona. Faith - you, Xander, Vi, Amanda and Chao-Anne are back-up, if that's alright with you, Faith?"

"You're the boss," Faith said, shrugging.

"And don't you forget it," Buffy added jokingly, before returning to focus. "If this, against all odds, is a trap, we give the signal, and you guys come in, guns a-blazing. Or crossbows. You get the picture."

"So what's the signal, oh, high and mighty Buff?" Xander asked.

"Lots and lots of yelling."

"Got it."

"Let's go."

* * *

Molly entered the vineyard behind Remus, who had his wand raised, looking around nervously. "What is this place?"

"A vineyard," Kennedy stated, sounding annoyed. "Or weren't you listening earlier?"

"I know that!" Molly snapped, then shuddered. "It just...gives me the creeps."

"Go home then."

"Guys, please," Remus hissed, looking over at Buffy. "Buffy?"

"I'm fine...it's just...it feels as if it's too easy. Shouldn't we have met at least some resistanceby now? Where are the Bringers we followed before?"

"My guess? To your left," Remus said. Buffy quickly turned her attention to the Bringer, and after three kicks, she broke its neck.

"Look out!" She yelled at the potentials, as she got sight of a second bringer. Kennedy quickly fired of her crossbow, impaling the bringer in the heart, and he fell to the floor, dead.

"Good work," Buffy nodded, and was about to keep walking again, when suddenly, a man stepped out of the shadows.

"Well, now you girls are just burning with righteousness, aren't you? Problem is, you think you're blazing like suns, when really you're burning like matchsticks in the face of the darkness. You having fun? Now, I hope my boys haven't worn you out too much...I need you fit for when I purify you."

Buffy stared at the man incredulously. "So I guess you're the priest, huh?"

The priest smiled. "Call me Caleb."

"Whatever. I heard you have something of mine."

Caleb chuckled. "Well, I do now. You liked my little message, did you? You know, I ruined a perfectly good knife on that girl. Got her soiled blood all over the place. I may have to get a new truck."

Buffy narrowed her eyes.

"So, you're the slayer. The slayer. The real one - the other one might think she's the one, but really-she's just the reserve. You're the leader. The strongest, the fastest, the most aflame with that most precious invention of all mankind - the notion of goodness. The slayer must indeed be powerful." Caleb smirked, and before Buffy had time to react, he swung out with his arm, hitting Buffy with a punch that sent her flying across the room. He grinned smugly. "So, what else have you got?"

Remus, who's eyes had widened in shock as Caleb sent his girlfriend flying, didn't waste any time. He raised his wand and sent of a spell, but Caleb ducked out of the way, and pushed Remus down. Remus tried to get up, but Caleb grabbed his shirt, head-butting him and then sent him flying to the other side of the room, right into a wine tank, that burst apart, and the red liquid started to spray out across the room, washing Remus into a corner, where he came to a stop, unconscious.

"Let's go!" Kennedy yelled, and just as she was about to kick at Caleb's back, several Bringers appeared out of the hidden shadows, attacking her and the other potentials, except Molly, who had hurried over to Remus' side and went undetected. Caleb spun around, and grabbed Kennedy, grinning all the while, before throwing her into a stack of wine barrels.

"Kennedy!" Rona yelled, and started to make her way towards her, only to be grabbed by Caleb. "I don't think so, Miss." Rona screamed, as Caleb broke her arm and sent her reeling back in agony. He chuckled and picked up a fallen knife, which he tossed to a Bringer. The Bringer swung back, ready to plunge it into Rona's abdomen, only to be interrupted by an arrow.

"You really have a thing for stabbing people, don't you?" Faith sneered, charging at Caleb, while the rest of her group started to fight the Bringers.

"Buffy!" Xander got sight of his blonde friend, and rushed over. In the mean time, Caleb was looking Faith up and down.

"Well, look who wants to come out and play. So you're the other one."

"The name's Faith," Faith bit out, punching at Caleb, who caught her hand in his easily.

"Faith. As in the faith of the God's. Do you pray?"

"Not really, no," Faith said, kicking out with a leg. Caleb smirked, and hit her hard over the head, sending her crumbling to the floor.

"You should." He kicked her hard in the side, and she was sent flying, straight into Kennedy, who had just gotten up. "It might save you from the fires of hell."

Caleb grabbed Annabelle, who came rushing towards him, with a sword, easily snapping her neck. "Or maybe not." He grabbed Annabelle's sword, smirking.

"NO!" Molly rushed towards Caleb, leaving Remus' side, as the werewolf sat up, looking slightly groggy, but alive.

"MOLLY, NO!" Remus screamed, and he stood up, shakily, lifting his wand, only to have his eyes widen as he saw it was broken in a half.

"Yes," Caleb said, as he neared Molly, who realized her mistake and started to back up, frozen in fear. Caleb smirked, as Molly raised her arm to stab him, but he easily grabbed her arm, and then her neck, lifting her off the floor. On the other side of the room, Buffy stood, and started to rush towards Caleb, but was intercepted by Bringers and had to fight them off.

"So you're his favorite?" Caleb asked, nodding towards Remus, who now seemed to be wandlessly gathering a large ball of swirling icy blue flames in his hand. Beads of sweat was dropping from his forehead.

"Do you think he likes you enough to save you?" Caleb whispered in Molly's ear. Remus raised his arm, and sent the ball towards Caleb, who didn't even blink as the ball hit his back, dissipating. "That made me all itchy," Caleb stated out loud, then smirked at Molly, who whimpered. In the background, Remus was moving closer, as he was conjuring another ball of flames- this time a sparkling red. "I guess he doesn't," Caleb whispered again, before plunging the sword he was holding in between her ribs. Molly let out a gasp and her eyes widened, before she slumped to the floor as Caleb let go off her, dead.

"NO!" Buffy had finally fought of the Bringers, and she rushed at Caleb one more time, avoiding his punches, and even landing a few of her own.

"I'm impressed," Caleb stated, then punched Buffy hard in the face: Blood came rushing out of her nose, and from her lips. "Or maybe not." Suddenly, Caleb let out a scream of surprise as his clothes caught on fire, and Buffy saw her chance and punched the priest hard - this time, it was his turn to fly across the room. Buffy caught sight of Remus, his hand still sparkling red from the newly thrown fire-ball. He was sweaty and panting hard, and his eyes were glassy.

"Rem!"

Remus sunk down to his knees beside Molly, in the red wine that covered the floor.

"We have to retreat," Buffy said softly, putting a hand on his shoulder, but didn't get a reaction. "Remus, please," Buffy begged. "Don't fall apart on me now." Remus looked up at her, and without a word, he lifted Molly's body up from the floor, and made his way towards the exit, Buffy covering his back, keeping the Bringers at bay.

"EVERYONE, RETREAT!" Xander yelled, helping Kennedy up. "Let's go."

Faith punched a Bringer hard, one last time, before scooping Annabelle's body up from the floor and rushing out, followed by Rona and the other potentials.

"Buffy!" Xander yelled at his friend, waving at her to hurry up. Easier said than done, as all the Bringers were rushing at her and Remus at the same time, now that the rest of the gang had left. He didn't notice Caleb sneaking up behind him, his robes still smoking, but with the fire put out. He didn't notice until Caleb had spun him around - and then it was too late.

"You're the one who sees everything, aren't you? Well, let's see what we can't do about that." Caleb plunged his thumb into Xander's left eye, gouging it out, making Xander scream in agony. "You're the heart too, aren't you? We'll see if that's the case when I've cut it out."

"XANDER!" Faith yelled from the exit, coming back in, wondering what was taking them so long. She charged at Xander, thinking it better to get him - and herself - away from Caleb, instead of charging at the priest one more time and get her ass kicked- even Faith had to admit that was the most likely scenario. They both fell to the floor, several feet away from Caleb, who looked on, but not doing anything to stop them, as Faith jumped to her feet, and helped Xander up, along with Vi who'd rushed in after her, and they each supported one of his arms, stumbling towards the exit,along with Buffy and Remus, who'd finally caught up with them.

"I'll bee seeing you," Caleb said to the eerie silence that was left behind, standing alone in the middle of the destruction, his dark eyes glinting. The First stepped out from the shadows behind him, dressed in the form of Molly.

"I can't wait," she said softly.

* * *

Remus and Buffy dug Annabelle and Molly's graves in silence. The only sounds heard was the occasional sobbing from a potential. Finally, the graves were finished, and the two girls' bodies were dumped down into them. Without a word, Remus went inside, giving his shovel to Faith so she could cover Molly's grave up. Buffy looked after him a long time before she started to cover up Annabelle's grave. She'd never felt so guilty. This was all her fault. She let out a long sigh and took a look at the dark haired Slayer working beside her. Faith's face were like stone. No expression was revealed there, but Buffy thought she must feel guilty as well. After all, it had been both their plan...Buffy shook her head to clear her thoughts, and shuffled another shovel, full of dirt and sand, onto the open hole in the ground.

* * *

After they were done, Buffy went inside and found Remus sitting in the living room, his broken wand in hand. He looked defeated, and his eyes were puffy, as if he'd been crying. Buffy stepped up to him.

"You need help with that?"

"Huh?" Remus looked up at Buffy, and then down at the broken wand again. "Oh...right. Sure." He gave the wand to Buffy, who pulled out her own and started to mumble a complicated repairing spell. Slowly, the wand seemed to fuse itself together, but it still looked a little bent.

"I think that'sthe best I can do...I'm not Ollivander...it might act a little wonky, but - "

" - It's fine," Remus said quietly, cutting her off. "Buffy..." he stood up, sighing, placing his hands on Buffy's shoulders. The Slayer flinched away, out of his reach.

"What?"

"Can we talk? I-I really need...well...I need...actually, I'm not sure what I need," Remus finished, letting his arms fall down his sides.

Buffy bit her lip. "Maybe later. I-I'm sorry, but I think I need to be alone." She turned on her heel, and ran out of the house, knowing very well that if she stayed, she'd break down. Again. And everyone would think her weak. Again. Plus, she wouldn't be able to stand the accusations Remus- and everyone else- was surely going to throw at her. She didn't notice Remus' hurt and wounded look.

As Buffy left, Giles and the rest of the Scoobies came inside.

"Ah, Remus," he said. "Just the one I was looking for. I-I have a mission for you. For you and Spike actually. I-I think it would be good for you to get away for a bit." He looked sympathetic. "You...had a special bond to Molly. I understand that being here...it must be hard."

"Does Buffy know?"

"What?" Giles looked surprised.

"Does Buffy know about the mission?" Remus asked, sounding slightly impatient.

"Oh. O-of course. It was her idea, actually, but she wasn't sure you'd want to leave her."

Remus thought it over for a few seconds. It might do him good to get out...distance himself for a bit. Even if it was with Spike. And if Buffy wanted him to leave... He sighed. It was obvious Buffy needed some distance herself right now. "I'll go," he finally said, although a bit hesitantly. "If you're sure Buffy is okay with this..."

"Excellent." Giles grinned, and clamped down a hand on his shoulder. "I'll keep everything under control, don't you worry. And Buffy's just fine."

* * *

Buffy sighed as she finally returned, several hours later. She'd been patrolling the streets, taking her anger out at every evil thing that moved, and felt she now had a little better perspective on things. She couldn't be blamed for what happened- of course, she would still blame herself, but that was another matter entirely. And Remus...well, looking back, she realized he'd honestly just wanted to talk. And she'd brushed him off, when he obviously needed to be comforted. She was such a bad girlfriend. And he'd been nothing but supportive. She opened the door to Revello Drive, and stepped inside, frowning, as she found the house empty.

"Hello?"

"Oh, hello, Buffy." Giles smiled, coming out of the kitchen with a cup of tea. "You're back. Good. I had some entries I wanted to look over with someone..."

"Where is everyone?" Buffy wondered, shrugging her jacket out.

"They're all out. Partying, actually. Faith thought the Potentials needed some fun, and I agree."

"Partying?" Buffy said, staring at Giles incredulously. "We have an apocalypse on our hands, and they're out partying?"

"Yes."

Buffy let out a frustrated cry and started to pace around the room. "Remus too?" She finally asked, not wanting to believe he'd be in on this...bloody madness...really - the world was ending - and they go out partying.

"Eh...no." Giles pulled off his glasses and started to clean them with his sweater. He looked uncomfortable. "I sent him on a mission. With Spike."

"What?" Buffy hissed, after getting over her shock. "You sent Remus away? Why? Spike I understand; I don't like him, and for the most part no one else does either, so it's no wonder you don't want him around, but Remus? Why would you do that?"

"Buffy," Giles said patiently, and talking very slowly, as if talking to a small child. "You need to understand- we are not running things your way. You are not the one in charge. And that's lucky, considering what has happened."

Just as Buffy opened her mouth to wonder what the hell Giles was playing at, the door opened, and the Potentials and Scoobies came in, laughing and joking. Buffy turned her attention to them. "Where have you been?" She asked, crossing her arms. "I can't believe you people! Where the hell are your priorities! You go out, partying, when we're having trouble up to our necks! There's an apocalypse out there, people!"

"Chill, B," Faith said. "We all needed some fun. We've lost two friends."

"Exactly! And this is how you honor their sacrifice? By trying to PARTY the troubles away?"

"Sacrifice?" Kennedy wondered. "That's what you call it? They were murdered."

"Yes," Buffy snapped. "I know. They were murdered. By a priest. Caleb's his name. Remember him? Evil. Super-strong. Kicked our butts easily. Maybe we should focus on finding out what the hell or who the hell he is?"

"B, just stop talking," Faith sighed. "That's the only thing you do. Talk."

"And lead us into death-traps," Chloe muttered, and a murmur of agreement were heard. For a second, Faith looked uncomfortable.

"Well...she couldn't have known," she said, knowing very well in her own (and much bigger part) in all this.

"No. But she should have," Rona said accusingly, her arm heavily bandaged. "If you truly cared about our lives, you would have checked that mad priest out before we rushed straight into his nest. We trusted you. And you practically lead us all to death."

"We can't have you as a leader, Buffy," Willow said softly. "I'm sorry, but we can't. We don't know each other anymore, and trying to pretend anything else is just denial. You don't know us- you don't care about our lives."

"Is that what you think?" Buffy exclaimed. "That I don't care? Well, I do care. Hell, I think I care too much. I made a mistake, I admit that. Anyone could do the same, and if I remember correctly, you were all in on the plan. You thought it was brilliant, even!"

"Don't try to blame this on us," Xander spoke up from the couch, his eye heavily bandaged. "You screwed up. Deal with it. Buffy, I stood by you. I trusted you. And it might be the hole were my eye should be that's talking, but...you broke that trust. You lead us all into battle...without knowing what you were getting into."

"Xander's right," Giles said. "You're growing reckless."

Buffy spun around to face Giles. "I see how it is. You've planned this. Sending Remus away so I wouldn't have anyone to stand by me..."

"Oh, come on!" Giles exclaimed. "You're chasing ghosts, Buffy."

"You know what? I'm sick of you," Kennedy snapped, the other Potentials nodding in agreement. "You are nothing without your boyfriend. If he's not here, then you fall apart. It's pathetic, and we can't have someone like that as our leader."

"Yeah. For once in your life, take responsibility for your actions and don't run away. But I guess that's what you do best," Joyce spoke up softly.

"Mum..."

"No, Buffy. You can't keep going on like this. You have to grow up."

Buffy stared around the room, gawking. "So it's back to that again, huh? I disappear, and you think it's my fault. Then you find out that's not what happened, and you go all apology. And then, I make one mistake...and you think I'm running away from my problems. Again. Who's running here? I'm not the one who goes partying when things become too hard for you to handle! People are dying! Molly and Annabelle are dead!"

"Exactly," Giles said. "They're dead. And you're responsible."

Buffy opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Speechless, she turned to Faith, hoping that she would back her up and tell them the truth...but Faith turned her head the other way, refusing to meet Buffy's eyes. "Guys..."

"You don't know us, anymore, Buffy," Joyce spoke up again. "And we don't know you. We can't trust you. And you can't trust us. Without trust...you can't lead."

"You're not a leader," Giles said. "You come back into this world, after years of absence, and think you're in charge. News flash: Things change. And if you can't deal with that, if you can't deal with the fact that you are not number one, that you have fallen back to the end of the line instead of standing at the front...then you shouldn't be here at all."

"You're throwing me out? I live here! I can't believe you're doing this..."

"We're not throwing you out, Buffy," Willow said. Joyce looked up at her daughter.

"We're giving you a choice, darling. Make it."

Buffy stared at them, hoping for any kind of recognition, any sign that someone - anyone - would stand up for her. But none did. Those that weren't looking at her in disgust, mistrust or with otherwise hateful looks, weren't meeting her eyes at all.

"Fine." Buffy snapped, swallowing. "You want me to make a choice. Fine. I'll make it easy for you." She stalked towards the hallway, pushing her way past the many potentials standing in the way. "You don't want me here, so I'll go. But don't come crawling back to me when things go wrong."

"Well, with the problem out of the way, I don't see what would go wrong," Kennedy snapped.

Buffy narrowed her eyes and looked around the room one last time, before grabbing her jacket. "Screw you," she finally said, and with that she opened the door.

"Yeah, 'cause that's so mature!" Rona called after her, as the door slammed shut.

* * *

**A/N: **So much for that friendship, huh? God, I am so mean...please, keep reviewing! Not many chapters left to go!

/Ida

* * *


	9. Never alone

**Never the Same**

Chapter 9 – Never alone.

DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything…

RATING: PG-13 (T) to R (M) - violence, language, angst, horror, possible mild sexual interactions, etc. If you can watch BTVS/AtS and read HP, I doubt you'll have any problem with this story.

TIMELINE: Sequel to "Out of the Blue" and "Red Horizon" (Part 3 in the series), and begin where we left in "Red Horizon" chapter 39, and a bit before BTVS season 7, though it's almost completely AU, with many changes from the real plot.

SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. Sequel to RH. _"You can run but you can't hide, evil finds you everywhere. Peace and quiet can no one provide, who said life was ever fair?" _Starting over is something that definitely falls into the 'easier said than done'-category. Buffy and Remus are doing their best to move on, and get used to the changes and the new turn their life has taken, but it's not easy...especially not when living on a Hellmouth.

CENTRAL PAIRING: Buffy/Remus

OTHER PAIRINGS: Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya

**Special Thanks to:** **My Beta –** CharmedChick

* * *

"Hey, we're back," Remus sighed tiredly, walking into the living room, which was occupied by the Potentials and Scoobies, who were all arguing. 

"Hello!"

"Oh, Remus, good." Giles stood up. "What did you find out?"

"Shouldn't we wait until everyone's here?" Remus looked around the room. "Where's Buffy?"

"Eh...you see..."

Spike came in, snorting. "Let me guess. Slayer got herself kidnapped again?"

"Eh...no...we..." Willow stood up. "We had a slight disagreement," she said, wringing her hands nervously. "And we came to the conclusion that...it would be better for everyone if...Buffy...took a little time off."

Spike burst out laughing. "Blondie took a time out? That's hilarious!" He slouched down in one of the chairs, chuckling all the while.

Remus stared at Willow. "Right. That's funny. Not. Where is she?"

"We just told you," Kennedy said impatiently. "Now sit down and tell us what you found out."

Remus narrowed his eyes. "When did you become boss? And where is Buffy? I don't buy the crap about her taking time off. We're in the middle of an apocalypse. She wouldn't take off."

"It's not like she hasn't before..." Willow muttered. Remus glared at her, but said nothing.

"She really did. Leave, I mean," Xander said.

"It was her choice," Giles said, cleaning his glasses furiously. Remus looked around. Half of the room looked triumphant, and the other half guilty.

"Okay. I'm not stupid. Something has happened- and Buffy saw it fit to leave?" He snorted. "Was that before or after you gave her some kind of ultimatum?"

The Scoobies cast each other guilty looks, and Remus felt himself becoming enraged.

"I can't believe you people," he hissed. "Youäre supposed to be her friends! Friends don't treat each other like this! They don't betray each other like this!"

"Hey, knock it down!" Faith said. "Don't you think you're overreacting? B made her choice."

"A choice that you forced her into," Remus spat, shaking his head. "You are just too much. All of you." And with that, he stormed out.

* * *

"Buffy..." Remus said softly, sitting down beside Buffy, who was lying on a bed in an abandoned house. "I've been looking for you." 

Buffy sniffed. "Right. So you can yell at me like everybody else?"

"No," Remus pulled her close. "To tell you that they can all go to hell."

Buffy let out a hysterical laugh. "Yeah. Like that helps."

Silence.

"They're right," Buffy muttered. "It's all my fault. Annabelle and Molly...they're dead, and it's my fault. You should hate me."

Remus sighed. "It's not your fault. You didn't even want to storm Caleb in the first place. Faith's the hothead, not you. You did nothing wrong. And Molly..." he sighed. "You can't be held responsible for her. You can't be held responsible for Annabelle, or Lily, or James, or Eliza, or Peter. We were in a war then, and we're in a war now. And people die. That's life." He sighed again. "Molly...I was fond of Molly. Her quirkiness...it was growing on me. And she reminded me of home. You know, she was English and all. Annabelle was English too- but she just annoyed me. So does Spike. And I won't even mention Giles, 'cause he just makes me feel sick."

Buffy half sobbed, half snorted.

"Anyway, Molly...she was amusing. In a weird kind of way. And she looked up to me, and I can't deny that I enjoyed basking in that. But I let her down. If anyone should feel guilty about her death, it should be me. She trusted me to keep her safe. But I did nothing but watch her die."

"But you did!" Buffy protested. "You tried!"

"Exactly. And that's all we can do. Try. And sometimes, that's not enough. Then we have to accept the fact that we did what we could, and move on."

"But...going there in the first place...that was my mistake..."

"Not yours only. And the fact that you're the only one of those cowards who even admit that you made a mistake in the first place...well, it shows you're not to be blamed. You learned from your mistake. And now it's time to move on."

Buffy was silent for awhile, and then looked up into Remus' eyes. "How is it..." she said slowly, "that whenever I'm feeling down and like all hope's lost, you make me feel like a Goddess?"

Remus kissed her forehead softly. "Because I know you. And you know I'm right."

Buffy snuggled up to him closer. "Tell me about your mission," she mumbled quietly.

"Well...except for traveling on a motorbike with Spike, it all went rather well...we found out that Caleb is guarding something...something that he doesn't want you to have."

"At the vineyard?"

Remus nodded sleepily. "Most probably. Why else would he be there?" He yawned.

Buffy nodded to herself. "So I guess I should take it from him then. Should piss him off. Rem? Remus?" She smiled to herself as she noticed he was fast asleep.

* * *

Remus woke up from the sun shining in through the windows, sticking him in the eyes. Still half-asleep, he sat up, staring at the axe Buffy was holding in her hand. 

"Buffy?"

"You're awake. Finally," Buffy said, teasingly. "You were out like a light."

"What is that?" Remus frowned.

"This?" Buffy nodded towards the axe. "This...is a wicked scythe of some kind. I grabbed it from Caleb- he seemed pretty insistent that I wouldn't get a hold of it. Not that I cared."

"What's it for?"

"Except being an awesome weapon?" Buffy grinned. "Not sure. But it's really sharp. And really pretty. But we should find out."

Remus nodded in agreement.

"Does that mean we have to go back to Revello Drive?"

Buffy snorted. "Hell no. I'm not crawling back to them. I'm done begging. They wanted me out of their way, well, they got their wish." She smirked. "From now on, we're playing this by our own rules."

Remus grinned. "I like your rules already."

* * *

"Stupid electricity...," Buffy muttered, as she entered the very dark library, only to stumble as she walked straight into - " - OUCH! Stupid chair..." 

Remus snorted. "I thought you had super-sight?"

"Well, I do...kind of...I just wasn't looking were I was going."

Remus smirked. "Right. Well, mythological section, here we come," he said, lighting his wand with a 'lumos' and started to look around. "Do you think the library has got anything we need?"

Buffy nodded emphatically. "It's the library on a Hellmouth. Of course it does."

"And if it doesn't?"

"Eh..." Buffy shrugged. "We pray?"

Remus laughed, and Buffy made her way towards several computer. "You think you can start these?" She wondered. "I mean, the electricity's out...but maybe charging it with magic could work."

Remus frowned. "Eh...maybe." He poked his wand at the hard drive. "Not that I'm sure how it works in the first place..."

Buffy shook her head in mock-defeat. "Look at us," she chuckled. "Totally hopeless." She groaned. "Let's start the praying, shall we?" Buffy clasped her hands together, looking up at the roof. "Dear whoever's up there...help us to start this computer so that we may put a stop the evil which threatens thee."

Suddenly, there was a buzzing sound, and the computer started up. Buffy stared at Remus with awe. "How did you do that?"

Remus shrugged. "Magic." He frowned. "Actually, I'm not sure. It must have been the praying."

Buffy snorted as she entered the net. "Yeah. Must have been."

Remus grinned, as he went over to the bookcase, pulling out several volumes. "So," he asked. "What do you want to do once we've stopped this thing?"

"Get drunk," Buffy stated. "And make a fool out of myself. And most probably giving the others ugly gestures and several 'I told you so's'."

Remus laughed. "It's good you don't hold grudges."

"Don't I know it," Buffy quipped. "And when they've been crawling in the mud for awhile, worshipping my feet and basking in our glory, I'll probably take advantage of their guiltiness a little longer. I know, I know, I'm evil," she said, as she saw Remus' incredulous stare.

"No," Remus shook his head. "That's not what I was going to say." He grinned. "You're amazing." A beat. "Let's get married."

Buffy gawked at him. "Huh?"

"I'm serious! When all this crap is over, let's get married."

Buffy burst out laughing. "That was a real proposal? Oh, my God! I can't believe you're proposing in the middle of an apocalypse!"

Remus gave her a sheepish grin. "Well...I surprised you, right?"

Buffy grinned back. "Yeah. And yes. I accept your very blunt and very unexpected - and quite tactless- proposal."

Remus let out a huge sigh of relief. "Oh thank God. For a second I was afraid I would have to wave it away as a joke."

Buffy went over to him and gave him a long kiss. "Never. But I want another proposal. With a ring. Later. When we're not in the middle of an apocalypse," she added. Remus threw her a mock salute.

"Got it."

Suddenly, there was a beep coming from the computer, and Buffy grinned. "And I've got a match!" She went over to the computer, nodding to herself as she read whatever the Internet page said. "I know where to go."

* * *

"This place...is creepy," Remus mumbled, looking around the tomb. 

"Tell me about it," Buffy muttered.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted.

"I know who you are. I've been waiting."

Buffy spun around, and got sight of an old woman coming out of a drapery.

"You're the Slayer," the woman said, smiling softly. "And you've found our weapon."

Buffy looked down at the scythe she was holding. "Who are you? And what kind of weapon is this?"

"A weapon. A scythe. Forged in secrecy and kept it hidden from the Shadow Men."

Buffy groaned. "Those men again. Yeah. I didn't like them very much."

The woman smiled, understanding. "They became watchers."

"Well, that explains why Giles is acting the way he is," Remus muttered. Buffy's lips twitched.

"...And the watchers watched the slayers. But we were watching them. We are Guardians. Women who want to help and protect you. We forged this centuries ago, halfway around the world. Forged there, it was put to use right here...to kill the last pure demon that walked upon the Earth. The rest were already driven under. And then there were men here, and then there were monks. And then there was a town, and now there was you. And the scythe remained hidden. We hid too. We had to, until now. We're the last surprise."

"So...as long as I have this...I'll win?"

The woman smiled mysteriously. "That is really up to you. But that is a powerful weapon." She turned to look at Remus. "But you already have weapons. Love. And friendship."

Buffy snorted. "I don't have any friends."

The woman just smiled. "They'll come through for you."

Suddenly, the guardian's head was dismembered from her body, and Buffy's eyes widened as she got sight of Caleb, holding a sword. "Sorry to crash the party." He pulled back his arm, and knocked Remus out, making him fly across the room and crash into a wall.

"Rem!" Buffy yelled.

"Am I invited?" Caleb smirked. Buffy stared at Caleb, enraged, and swung with the scythe at him, but he simply grabbed it, pushing her away. Several punches, kicks and hard landings later, Buffy realized he was winning. As did he.

"You can't win this, little girl," Caleb grinned, grabbing the axe from Buffy, at the same time as he pushed her down to the floor. "I am stronger than you." He lifted the axe above his head. "I am filled with thy holy power. I am - "

Buffy's eyes widened again, as Caleb crumbled to the floor, revealing Angel standing there. "You looked like you could use some help."

Buffy grinned. "Thanks. She pulled up the scythe from the floor and turned back to Caleb, who was getting to his feet, enraged. "But this is my fight."

Angel nodded.

"I get it. I'll just...enjoy the show then."

Buffy nodded. "Do that."

The roles were reversed. This time, it was clearly Buffy who had the advantage, and Caleb went down a second time, easily. However, just as she thought it was over- that she'd killed him- he stood up again.

"We're not finished, bitch!" He yelled. Buffy spun around, groaning.

"Don't tell me you're one of those 'I die, but keep coming back for more'-types? I'm so tired of them..."

"You understand nothing," Caleb snapped, stalking towards her. "You think you have power over me? Think again. You can't kill me."

In the background, Remus was slowly regaining consciousness. Angel was still watching Buffy, ready to jump in in case something went wrong.

Caleb kept walking towards Buffy. "You don't have the balls - "

He froze as Buffy swung the axe up between his legs, hitting his groin. Remus, who now was fully awake, winced, as did Angel, but as they realized they did the same thing, they gave each other identical glares and turned their heads the opposite way, just as Buffy finished Caleb of for real, splitting him cleanly in two.

"Who does, nowadays?" She turned to Remus and Angel, but, as she noticed their defiant stance, she rolled her eyes. "Oh, grow up."

Angel snorted. "In his case, not likely." He walked over to Buffy, putting an amulet in her hand. "This is for you."

"Jewelry? Sorry, Angel, but...I'm kind of engaged. That won't get me back."

Angel snorted in amusement. "Wasn't trying to. That is a weapon." He nodded his head towards Remus. "When did he pop the question anyway?"

"About an hour ago," Buffy said airily, before returning her attention back to the amulet. "And how can this be a weapon?"

"Wait...he proposed in the middle of an apocalypse?" Angel shook his head. "What you see in him..." he muttered, shaking his head. "Anyway, it's very powerful and probably very dangerous. It has a purifying power and bestows strength to the right person who wears it. Someone ensouled, but stronger than human. A champion. Like me."

Remus rolled his eyes, muttering to himself. "Egoistical prat..."

Buffy's lips twitched, amused at Remus' comment, but trying not to show it. "Or like me," she said instead. "Thanks, Angel. It'll help."

"Wait...you don't need my help?"

Buffy shrugged. "No."

Angel pouted. "Oh. Well...if you're sure...good luck."

"Thanks. And you know...if we lose...I need you to pick up the pieces. Be our second front."

Angel sighed. "Fine. I'll go rally my troops." He turned around. "Be careful."

"Always."

* * *

"So what's our next step, boss?" Remus asked Buffy as they stepped out of the tomb. 

"Well...going back to the house," Buffy sighed. "The guardian was talking about my friends...on her, it sounded like they'll come around. That they'd be needed."

Remus pouted. "Typical."

* * *

As Buffy and Remus entered Revello Drive, their jaws dropped. The house was in chaos: Everyone was running back and forth, and the living room seemed to have been set up as a temporary hospital: Several Potentials were lying there, badly wounded. 

"Well," Buffy mumbled, trying to feel some sympathy, but it was hard. "I suppose a lot can go wrong even with the supposed 'problem' in question out of the way."

Remus snorted, and he and Buffy went into the room, Buffy with her wand at the ready. Healing spells. This was her thing.

"Buffy?" Willow looked up from a Potential she was washing, flushing slightly. "You're back."

"For now," Buffy muttered, giving the scythe to Remus and leaning down by the Potential. "What happened?"

"A bomb..." Kennedy spoke up. "A Bringer lead us into a trap..."

"You were lead into a trap..." Buffy muttered, at the same time as running a diagnostic spell at the wounded girl. "Now, why does that sound familiar?"

"What is that axe thing, Buffy?" Giles wondered, looking interested.

"A Slayer weapon," Buffy said shortly. "I took it from Caleb and cut him in half."

The room went silent.

"Oh." Xander muttered. "Way to go, Buff..."

Buffy snapped her head around to glare at him. "Don't call me that," she said quietly. "I only let my friends call me that," she finished, before turning her attention back to the wounded girl. Xander blanched and had the grace to at least look ashamed.

"Buffy..." Joyce sighed, walking over to her. "We're so sorry..."

"Stop," Buffy said. "Just...stop talking. We can do that later, but right now, I need to fix this mess, alright?"

Joyce lowered her head. "Alright."

* * *

Several hours later, when the Potentials had been somewhat fixed up, they all gathered in the living room again, Buffy standing in the center of the room as usual. 

"So," she said. "You wanted to talk- so talk. What happened?"

"Well, we got blown up..." Chloe muttered. "And then ambushed by uber-vamps. We barely made it out alive..."

"Yeah. You were right, Buffy," Kennedy said shamefully. "We should have followed you. Faith lead us straight into a trap and almost got us all killed..." The rest of the room murmured its agreement.

" - SHUT UP!" Buffy exploded, and the Potentials and Scoobies looked at her wide-eyed. "Just...shut up. You understand nothing. I can't believe you people! Always changing your opinions depending on where the wind blows. It's sad. And pathetic. I think you all need to learn how to grow up! Learn to think for yourselves! Stand up for yourselves! Not blindly moving to what looks like the winning side! You are...unbelievable. Acting like...like...GAH!" She let her arms fall to her sides in frustration. "I don't even have a word for it, but that's what you are." She gave each and everyone of them dark, long looks, her blue-green eyes almost shooting lightning. "Now you listen to me, and listen good. You're not my friends. You're not forgiven. Some crawling and 'I'm sorry's'- it just won't cut it. We're not 'fine.' We won't be 'fine.' Not until you've gotten off your all-mighty horses you think you're riding." She narrowed her eyes. "And one more thing: Nobody lead you into a trap. Not at the vineyard, not now. Because neither Faith- nor I - could have known what it was. Not one of us lead you there on purpose. Because. It was. A trap. The entire meaning of that word- TRAP!" She yelled, making the room flinch.

" - Says what it is. Something unprepared. Something unexpected. Something you can't guard yourself against. You were tricked. It. Was. A. Trap. Learn to recognize that sentence. And learn what it means. Faith and I made mistakes. I admit that. And I think she will admit that as well, whenever she wakes up from her unconscious state. Now, what is a mistake? A mistake is a wrong someone does. Something you do that you think is right, that turns out wrong. Both Faith and I thought what we did was right. But it wasn't. It was wrong. Simply said, we made mistakes. We learn from mistakes, so they won't be repeated. Will you learn from yours?"

Buffy looked at her now very shameful, very quiet audience. "That is the number one question, isn't it?" She walked out of the room, Remus following, whistling, as they entered their room. "That was one hell of a speech."

Buffy flushed. "Thanks. But just so you know: I don't remember a word of it."

Remus gave her a long look, and then burst out laughing.

* * *

Later that evening, Buffy and Remus had a moment in their bed, needing the closeness they could give each other. All the potentials that had inhabited the guestroom with them had moved out, too ashamed to even be close to Buffy. 

Suddenly, a familiar shape came to stand in front of them, and Buffy and Remus sat up in shock, their covers falling down to the floor in the process.

"Meaoww," 'Molly' said, whistling in appreciation.. "You've got some nice assets there, Remus."

"You're not her," Remus said through gritted teeth.

The First sighed. "No. She's dead. Thanks to you both." 'Molly' grinned, smiling brightly again. "Oh, please, keep going. Don't mind me. It was a really nice show. I enjoyed it."

"Okay..." Remus said, staring at the First in both disgust and horror. "I think you've just made me go celibate for quite some time forward."

The First pouted.. "Aww...little Remus shriveled right up?"

"You're sick," Buffy spat, grabbing her clothes and putting them on, Remus quickly doing the same. "What do you want?"

"Oh, I don't know?" 'Molly' shrugged. "Power, the world, my army of thousands at my disposal..." She suddenly grinned again. "Oh, wait - I do."

"You don't have the world," Buffy hissed.

The First sighed. "No, not yet. But soon. After all, no one can stop me."

"I will stop you," Buffy said quietly.

'Molly' laughed, and then transformed into Caleb. "You and...who, exactly?" Caleb transformed into Eliza. "You have no friends. Just your werewolf, who, even if his assets are very nice and all- won't be enough. To defeat me, you need an army. Stronger than mine. But you don't." Eliza transformed into Lily. "The only thing you have is a house full of traitors and teenage girls with PMS and bad fashion sense, who - ahhh, how was it? Ah, yes- 'need to get off the all-mighty horses they think they're riding.' Which won't be anytime soon." Lily turned into James. "And when that happens...it will be too late. You can't make them grow up over night. You can't make them change. You can't turn them into heroes with a snap of your fingers. You're good, Buffy..." 'James' shrugged. "...But not that good. You stand alone."

Buffy's eyes flashed. "You're wrong."

'James'smirked. "That remains to be seen, doesn't it?" He started to fade away. "Now I suggest you go back to what you were doing when I got here- you'll need the pleasure your lover can give you- it's probably the last of it you'll ever have. Because the next time we meet...it's the end."

Buffy stood stock still in the middle of the room, staring at the spot the First had faded from. Remus put a hand on her shoulder. "Buffy?"

Buffy turned around to face him. "I know how we'll win."

* * *

Buffy, Remus, the Scoobies and the Potentials were all gathered in the living room - Faith had awakened as well and sat half-asleep in a chair in a corner. The grandfather clock had just chimed four. 

"Okay, B...I get that you like bossing us around," Faith said. "And I respect that. Hell, after my very, very big failure- or failures - I welcome it. But can it wait 'til after lunch or somethin'?"

Buffy ignored her, and looked at the half-asleep audience, dressed in various states of night shirts and pajamas. And for a second, she actually doubted she could do this...maybe the First was right. That is, until she met Remus eyes, who was filled with pride and love. He believed in her. They all counted on her. She wouldn't let them down.

"We are in a war, people," she began and started to pace around the room. "In a war, there are leaders. And what are leaders? Leaders are the ones who make all the hard choices. All the hard decisions. Leaders are the ones who stand alone. Leaders are the ones who get blamed if something goes wrong. Because something will go wrong. Something always go wrong. Because we all make mistakes. I don't think there is a single person in this room who has not made one." She took a deep breath. "In a war, certain sacrifices have to be made. It sounds cruel, but it is the truth. In a war, people die. It is the leaders' job to make sure that number is as few people as possible. That as many as possible are saved. But not everyone. Because not everyone can be. Trying to achieve that goal, is the same as condemning all to death. And everyone knows that. We can't save them all. But still we fight. Why? Because it's the right thing to do."

Buffy looked up, face filled with determination. "So here's the part where you make a choice. Will you take a chance? Will you step over the edge, and know that you may not make it out alive? I won't give you time to think about it, because if you don't know it like that - " she snapped her fingers. "- Know that you want to take that step - that you are ready to- then you never will be. And if that's the case, then I want those persons out of the door right now. And I want them to leave Sunnydale. Because this is the place where we go to war. Where we make the hard choices. And this is the place where we might lose. Where we might die. But it is also the place where we can conquer. Where we can survive. Where we write history. We are facing the biggest evil the world has ever seen. And I'm going to face it head on. It's against the odds - I know- I don't care. Because it is the right thing to do. I am a leader. And so I make the hard choices. And I am making one right now. Tomorrow- actually, today- " she looked up at the clock. "- I'm going into the Hellmouth. If I go alone... No. Because I am never alone. One is never truly alone until one has given up. And I never give up. What about you? What is your choice? Do you give up...or are you ready to be strong? If you're not...well..." she pointed to the door. "...Then that's the end of the line."

No one moved, and Buffy gave the room- now fully awake- a grim smile. "Good. Right now, you're probably asking yourselves what the Hell you've gotten yourself into. Well, the answer is, as I said: Hell. The mouth of it. We all know how the story goes. In every generation a Slayer is born. I'm her. So is Faith. And you could be." Buffy took the scythe Remus was holding, and swung it casually over her shoulder.

"The First Evil is just that: Evil. It's the Slayer's job- her duty- her destiny- to fight evil. It's obvious what we have to do. So what makes me think we can beat it? I don't. I know. Because I have the power. And Faith has the power." She gave the Potentials a long look. "And you can have that power. This scythe contains the very essence of the Slayer. It is meant for the Slayer and her alone." Suddenly, she threw the axe and it buried itself gracefully in the wall. "Alone. It's that word again. I don't think that's how it has to be. I know we're stronger together than we are apart. So that's why we are going to use what the fates have provided us with." Buffy pointed at the scythe, glimmering in the first rays of sun that had started to find its way through the curtains. "That scythe. We are going to use it to change our destiny. To transfer the essence from the scythe into you. Slayers. All of us. We're never going to be alone - ever again."

Silence.

* * *

"I'm not sure I can do this," Willow said, wringing her hands, several hours later, as they neared the High School. Tara gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I'll be right by your side, sweetie. And Remus too. Remember: Never alone?" 

Willow tried to grin, but it came out more like a grimace. "Yeah. Well, I feel alone. This is a lot of power, Tara. More than I've ever handled. And if I fail...then we're screwed."

Remus turned his head grinned at her from the front of the line where he was walking with Buffy. "Well, then don't fail."

Willow whimpered. "That's reassuring..."

As they entered the silent, empty halls of the school, it was Xander's turn to whimper. "I think I need to pee."

"Bathroom's that way," Robin said, pointing towards an empty corridor.

"Thanks," Xander said. "But I'll keep it together. I think."

Buffy snorted, and turned around. "Okay. Time to split up. Those who are going into hell itself: Basement. Willow, Tara- principal's office. The rest of you: The atrium, north hall and through the lounge."

Anya grinned brightly. "We who are about to die, salute you!" Then she frowned. "Actually, I meant the opposite: You who are about to die; I salute you!" She grabbed Xander's arm, and dragged him with her to the north hall, Robin and Rona took off towards the longue (as Rona had a broken arm, sending her with the others into the Hellmouth would be rather stupid), and Giles along with Joyce took off to the atrium, while Tara and Willow went to the principal's office, right above the Hellmouth, leaving Buffy and Remus standing by themselves.

"You okay?" Remus wondered quietly, and Buffy gave him an overly bright smile.

"Please don't ask me that."

Remus chuckled. "So...I guess not then."

"Are you kidding? We're all gonna die. I don't know what I was thinking..."

"Hey." Remus put his hand under her jaw and forced her to look at him. "You're not going to die. Not you, not me. Be positive. We can beat this."

Buffy took a deep breath. "Yeah. Positive. I'm being positive. Check." She smiled and gave Remus a kiss. "You should go to Willow and Tara. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Yeah," Remus nodded. "Be careful."

Buffy grinned. "Always."

Remus smiled back at her and as he half-walked, half-ran (backwards; his eyes never leaving Buffy's face) to catch up with the two wiccans, he said: "After all this is done and over with, what do you say about doing that thing we never finished last night because of the First-Evil-Who-Are-About-To-Get-Its-Ass-Kicked interrupted us?"

Buffy laughed. "You bet."

Remus grinned and turned around the corner, disappearing out of sight. As he was gone, Buffy's smile faded and she started to walk towards the basement.

"Who am I kidding?" She muttered. "I am so gonna die."

* * *

"Oh. Remus. Hi," Willow said, breathlessly, as the werewolf entered the office. "Ready to work some mojo?" 

"The question is: Are you?" Remus wondered, leaning against the doorframe.

"Hell no," Willow laughed. "But I'm doing it anyway."

Tara smiled, sitting down cross legged across fromWillow. "I believe in you."

Willow gave her a tight smile, gripping the Scythe with both hands. "Let's hope that belief isn't misplaced, huh?"

* * *

Buffy stared wide-eyed at the huge army down in the Hellmouth, at the same time as fingering the amulet around her neck worriedly. They had the higher-ground...but if Willow's spell didn't work...well, then they were screwed. Big time. 

"Buffy..." Amanda, a Potential said, sounding frightened.

"Don't be worried," Buffy gulped. "I'm not worried. I'm not worried...as long as Willow can work her spell before they - "

Suddenly, the Turok-hans looked up at the cliff where they were standing, and let out a load roar, rushing against them.

"- See us," Buffy whimpered.

_

* * *

_

"Willow..." Tara muttered, as sweat broke out on Willow's forehead.

"It's not working," Willow breathed. "Oh God...it's not working."

Tara put her hand on Willow's right. "I'm here. Focus. Borrow my power, Will."

Willow closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. For a second, the axe flashed white...only to fade away again.

"Oh no..." Willow whimpered, starting to panic. "I can't do it. It's not working."

Remus left the doorway and sat down beside Tara, putting his hand on Willow's left. The other hand, he stretched out in front of him,towards the axe, and Willow watched wide eyed as beams of what looked like electricity shot out of it, hitting the axe.

"What is that?" Willow breathed. Remus gritted his teeth hard together, sweating badly, his eyes flashing yellow, as he felt the wolf rise to the surface, leaning him some of its strength.

"Magic." He muttered. "Pure energy, take your pick. But you better start focus, because I think I'm passing out soon. I can't keep this up for long - it's too draining."

Willow nodded, closing her eyes again, breathing deeply. Suddenly, the axe let out a bright flash and Remus and Tara were pushed back, crashing into the wall. Looking up, groaning, they got sight of Willow, overcome with power, her hair bright white.

"Willow..." Tara breathed, just as the axe stopped shining, and Willow collapsed. Tara quickly scooped her up in his arms, while Remus grabbed the axe, rushing out of the room; destination Hellmouth. He still felt a little wobbly on the legs after all overused energy, but he still ran, knowing he had no time to loose.

* * *

In the Hellmouth, Buffy was realizing she was fighting a losing battle. The Turok-han were nearing the edge, and still none of the Potentials had felt anything. 

"Oh God," Chloe muttered, hugging herself. "We're all gonna die, we're all gonna die..." Suddenly, she let out a gasp, as did the other Potentials, as they felt a surge of power pass through them, just as the first wave of Uber-vamps reached them, only to be kicked back down again. Buffy grinned.

"No, we're not."

"Buffy!"

Buffy turned around, and caught the scythe gracefully in the hand, as Remus entered the fray and threw it at her. She swung it around, beheading several vampires at ones, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Remus blast another vamp into pieces with a spell.

For several minutes, the battle raged on, Remus and Buffy always keeping an eye out for each other, even though they were separated by several feet and uber-vamps. Suddenly, the amulet around Buffy's neck let out a bright flash, and she looked down, not noticing the uber-vamp behind her, who stabbed her in the back.

Buffy gasped in surprise and pain and the sword sticking out of her stomach: It had gone straight through, and the world started to spin as she fell to the ground.

"BUFFY!" Remus yelled, fighting his way furiously up to her. Faith reached her first, however. "Hold. The line," Buffy cried, giving the axe to Faith, who nodded, and jumped back into the fray.

"Buffy..." Buffy looked up at Remus, who'd now reached her, and was staring wide-eyed at her. "Don't die on me," he begged, shaking his head, as Buffy closed her eyes. "We're getting married, remember? I can't marry you if you're dead." He sounded close to tears, and Buffy opened her eyes and tried to grin, but it came out more as a grimace. "I can heal you," Remus said. "Just...I need you to get up. Don't give up," he hissed, suddenly looking angry. "I'll never forgive you if you give up." Buffy closed her eyes again.

****

Flashback

"Often, the demons and vampires we face are stronger. But strength isn't everything. It's how we use it- our strength and agility and all the rest of our resources- that determines the outcome of a battle."

Flash

"- it doesn't help anyone if you fall apart. If you do, you let it win."

Flash

"Don't underestimate yourselves. Don't underestimate your abilities."

Flash

"You're all trapped. The odds are against you. You have no means of fighting. No means of escape. So what do you do? Give up? No. You still stand strong. Even though you'll probably die doing it. Why? Because we don't give up. Never give up."

Flash

"Nothing is impossible to kill."

" - in the end it's going to be us. If we all do our parts, and believe in it, we'll be the ones left standing."

Flash

"I love you. If you don't believe anything else, believe that, at least."

"Why? Why should I? Why do you love me?"

"Because you're you. And I believe in you. All of you."

"We will defeat this. I don't know how yet, but we will. We are stronger than this...better than this. I won't let it break me."

Flash

"...She doesn't let herself be pulled down. She died, but she came up kicking..."

"...she's one hell of a girl- no, woman- and one hell of a Slayer."

"Trust her."

****

Flash

"We can't save them all. But still we fight. Why? Because it's the right thing to do."

"...this is the place where we go to war. Where we make the hard choices. And this is the place where we might loose. Where we might die. But it is also the place where we can conquer. Where we can survive. Where we write history. We are facing the biggest evil the world has ever seen. And I'm going to face it head on. It's against the odds- I know- I don't care. Because it is the right thing to do. I am a leader. And so I make the hard choices. And I am making one right now. Tomorrow - actually, today- I'm going into the Hellmouth. If I go alone... No. Because I am never alone. One is never truly alone until one has given up. And I never give up."

****

End flashback

Buffy looked up into Remus' amber eyes, breathing heavily, but getting to her feet, new determination shining in her eyes. Remus smiled, and at the same time, they turned the attention back to the battle, now fighting side by side, covering each others backs.

"BUFFY!" Faith threw the scythe back to her, and Buffy caught it, swinging it around in a new circle, her moves mirroring the pulsing warmth coming from the amulet. Suddenly, it let out another bright flash, and the blue light reached the ceiling and made a hole through it.

Buffy seemed to have frozen in her step.

"Buffy!" Remus gasped, looking up at her with wide eyed. Suddenly, the blue light lashed out in a magnificent circle, turning golden on the way, dusting the vamps where it hit.

"Oh. My. God..." Remus breathed, as he saw the light taking on the form of people thought dead...Nick...Michaela...his parents...Eliza...Lily...James... At Buffy's wide-eye look, he realized it wasn't his imagination.

Tears appeared in Buffy's eyes. "Lily...'liza...James...is that you?"

The 'ghosts' just seemed to smile and wave, and then, in a blinding flash of light that forced them all to cover their eyes, they were all gone.

"Buffy?" Faith stepped up to her, along with all the other Potentials...no...Slayers.

Xander, along with Willow, Tara and everyone else who hadn't been in the actual fight, came down the stairwell and joined them in looking down at the now very empty Hellmouth.

"So...does this mean we win?" Xander asked.

Buffy smiled sadly, thinking of her dead friends, and the guardians mystical words coming back to her, barely noticing the others climbing out of the Hellmouth, chattering happily at the same time.

****

Flashback

"...you already have weapons. Love. And friendship."

Buffy snorted. "I don't have any friends."

The woman just smiled. "They'll come through for you."

****

End flashback

Buffy was broken out of her thoughts by Remus putting his arm around her, hugging her tightly, letting her know without words how he felt. He understood too. They stood alone, holding each other tightly, closing their eyes.

'Thank you, guys...'

Suddenly, a wind seemed to blow through the empty Hellmouth, and Buffy and Remus smiled, as they turned around and started to climb upwards, arms still wrapped around each other.

They now knew for sure they'd never really be alone.

* * *

**A/N:** Awww! Don't worry - it's not the end! We still have three chapters left before we're moving ontopart four -Come What May.Please Review! Also, pictures of possible actors for Remus, Sirius and James can be found in my Live Journal. 

/Ida

* * *


	10. For all eternity

**Never the Same**

Chapter 10 – For all eternity.

DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything…

RATING: PG-13 (T) to R (M) - violence, language, angst, horror, possible mild sexual interactions, etc. If you can watch BTVS/AtS and read HP, I doubt you'll have any problem with this story.

TIMELINE: Sequel to "Out of the Blue" and "Red Horizon" (Part 3 in the series), and begin where we left in "Red Horizon" chapter 39, and a bit before BTVS season 7, though it's almost completely AU, with many changes from the real plot.

SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. Sequel to RH. _"You can run but you can't hide, evil finds you everywhere. Peace and quiet can no one provide, who said life was ever fair?" _Starting over is something that definitely falls into the 'easier said than done'-category. Buffy and Remus are doing their best to move on, and get used to the changes and the new turn their life has taken, but it's not easy...especially not when living on a Hellmouth.

CENTRAL PAIRING: Buffy/Remus

OTHER PAIRINGS: Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya

**Special Thanks to:** **My Beta –** CharmedChick

**

* * *

**

**About a year later**

**Sunnydale, June 22, 2004**

"How do I look?" Buffy spun around, showing her wedding dress off for her (girl)friends. Several weeks after the whole episode with the First, after the Potentials-gone-Slayers had been relocated to other cities, the Scoobies, Buffy and Remus had slowly started to begin their friendship anew, piece by piece. It was hard work, and things were stilltense between them sometimes, but it was getting better. Even though they all knew their friendship could never go back to the way it once had been, and that the closeness they once had would never be found, they had found a common ground. And today, everything was perfect. Everyone was present for what was probably the most important day for Buffy to date; Scoobies, Potentials-turned-Slayers, the Angel-investigation-now-working-in-Wolfram-and-Heart-team...you name it.

Tara smiled at her. "You look fabulous," she said, giving her a careful hug, as to not wrinkle the dress.

"I still can't believe you're getting married," Joyce said with a soft smile.

"And I still can't believe you accepted his proposal - I mean, please! We were in the middle of an apocalypse." Faith grinned.

Buffy shrugged, grinning, as she lifted a hand to her hair, which fell in soft curls around her shoulders. "Oh, well. You know me- never liked the good ol' traditional."

"Well, this looks pretty traditional to me," Willow said, looking around the living room on Revello Drive, currently dressed in flowers and white silk. On a glass table by the corner a three tiered wedding cake was standing, and all along the floor, presents in all forms and colors were wrapped up. "Garden wedding...friends and family...the nervous bride..."

"I just want everything to be perfect..." Buffy jumped up and down, trying desperately to peek out through the closed curtains. "Are Angel and Spike out there?"

"Yes," Anya stepped inside. "Spike looks ridiculous in a suit." She looked over at Illyria who was inspecting the two plastic figures on the cake. "And I won't even mention the blue-bird in her dress."

Illyria looked up, and cocked her head to the side. "This is meaningless. I do not understand the beauty of this stupid tradition."

"That's great," Faith said, clapping Illyria on the shoulder. "You will soon." She pulled up a handkerchief from her pocket and stretched it out towards the blue-haired, pink-dressed former demon-king who just stared at the wrinkled object with her large ice-blue eyes. "Hankie?"

Willow snickered.

Suddenly, before anyone had time to react, demons and vamps crashed through their windows. Joyce let out a shriek and Willow immediately launched an energy ball into her hand. Buffy looked around desperately in search for her wand, without any luck.

"Oh, crap," she muttered, and proceeded to land a kick towards one of the vampires...only to land flat on her back. "Stupid dress," she moaned, and quickly ripped the dress' skirt apart, and forced herself up. Several minutes later, they'd all been defeated...and Buffy broke down.

"WHY CAN'T I JUST HAVE ONE SINGLE NORMAL DAY IN MY ABNORMAL STUPID EXISTENCE!" She yelled, looking up at the ceiling which was dripping in green demonic slime. "CAN YOU ANSWER THAT? HUH! WHOEVER'S UP THERE AND IS SUPPOSED TO BE ALMIGHTY, WHY CAN'T YOU JUST...just..." she sank down to the floor. "Stupid Powers That Be..."

That's when the cavalry came rushing in.

"Is everyone a-alright?" Giles asked, looking around in the demolished living room. "Dear God..."

Buffy stared helplessly around the living-room. From the smashed cake and presents, to her ripped and dirty dress...and to her soon-to-be-legally-wedded-husband who'd just stepped inside. "Buffy, are you okay?"

Buffy looked up, and for several seconds, she just stared at him, seemingly defeated...until her eyes widened and she jumped up. "YOU SAW MY DRESS! YOU SAW MY DRESS! IT MEANS BAD LUCK! YOU. SAW. MY. DRESS!"

"Eh...don't kick me for saying this, B, but...it's not much of a dress anymore," Faith said with a pointed look at her not-so-beautiful-white-dress.

Buffy buried her head in her hands.

"It's okay, Buffy," Remus said, kneeling down beside her. "We can fix this with magic. It will just take a sec - "

" -NO!" Buffy looked up. "No magic! I just want to be normal just for once in my life! It's my wedding damnit! I can't handle this!" She stood up and started to pace around the room, ranting. "This entire wedding is a bad idea...I should have known it wouldn't ever work...I should have known it was too much to ask...it's stupid...it's ridiculous...I'm ridiculous."

She looked up at the wide-eyed Scoobies. "The wedding. Is. Off!" She said through gritted teeth, and then stormed out of the door, which fell off its hinges as she tried to slam it closed.

Spike placed a hand on a gawking Remus' shoulder. "I think she dumped you, mate."

Angel grinned widely.

**

* * *

**

Buffy was roaming the streets of Sunnydale, tears streaming down her face.

'Why can't I just be normal...? My life sucks...'

Suddenly a vamp jumped out, and as Buffy turned her attention towards it, she felt something inside her snap, and she launched herself upon the vamp, lashing out all her anger at the creature of the night.

"This. Is. All. Your. Fault!" She yelled, between the punches. "I. Hate. You. And. Your. Friends. You. Make. My. Life. A. Living. Hell!" She gave the vamp a last punch, before breaking its neck, effectively dusting the vamp. She turned around, breathing heavily, already feeling much better...and froze in her step as she regarded the many demons and vamp which were surrounding her.

"So do you," another vampire sneered, and Buffy found herself backing up, looking for means to escape. She knew it would be idiotic to take on the entire group by herself.

"We don't like how complicated you've made our lives, Slayer," a demon growled.

Buffy gulped.

**

* * *

**

"She didn't mean it!" Willow fretted, wringing her hands as she gave Remus a desperate look. "I'm sure she'll be back."

Remus just stared straight a head of him, face pale, not even noticing Willow's input. Buffy's word were echoing in his head: _The wedding is off! The wedding is off!_

"Remus?"

"Huh?" Remus finally looked up, eyes glazed over, and met the concerned looks of Joyce and the Scoobies, minus Spike who was smirking, Illyria who looked indifferent, and Angel who looked smug.

"Go after her," Joyce probed him. "We'll get everything fixed right back up so the wedding can proceed. She didn't mean it- she wasn't serious."

Angel snorted. "She sounded pretty serious to me," he said with a large grin. Remus buried his head in his hands. Tara gave the ensouled vampire a glare, before turning a soft look to Remus' slumped form. "Joyce is right. She didn't mean it. Go after her."

"Yeah," Faith nodded. "We all know you're meant to be- I mean, you've both stuck around each other this far, and that's a miracle in itself. It must mean something, right?"

Xander gave Faith a glare. "Not helping."

Faith stuck out her tongue as Remus looked up and took a deep breath. "You're right. I'm overreacting. She was overreacting. I'll go after her," he got up from his chair and started to walk towards the door, new determination shining in his eyes.

"You go wolf-boy!" Faith hollered after him. The door slammed shut.

**

* * *

**

"Our lives were just fine before," a vampire snarled, at Buffy, who was slowly backing up. "But now the world isfull ofSlayers who make our lives a living. Hell."

"And how is that my fault?" Buffy said, trying to buy time. "And you're not technically living you know. And I was under the impression you guys liked hell anyway."

Some demons growled menacingly low down their throats.

"Funny," the vampire who had spoken first spat. "This is all your fault. If you hadn't come back to our world, the First evil wouldn't have found it necessary to settle, and then all these Slayers wouldn't have been made, and we could all have just kept going on like before, with one slayer, and several of our kind."

"Well, I found that a little bit unfair," Buffy shrugged. "We were just evening the odds out a bit."

The vampire kept talking, ignoring Buffy's input. "But you came and turned the balance up and down. Turned around the natural order of things. And we don't like that. Do we, boys?" he asked the rest of the group, who all let out several different sounds in agreement. Buffy found herself backed up against a wall. The first kick was thrown. And another. Buffy found herself clearly outnumbered, and she swore. She'd taken out several already, but too many remained...and if it was one thing that was bad with the whole 'the-world-is-now-full-of-Slayer-gig', it was that she'd been slacking down in her training, as there were so many others who could help her along with the job. Now she was paying the price for that neglect. Silently, she swore to herself that if she got out of this mess alive, she'd never let that happen again. That was the last thought she had before everything went black.

**

* * *

**

Remus knew he was coming closer to Buffy- he could sense it. He turned around the corner- and his eyes widened in shock as he got sight of Buffy falling to the ground, unconscious, surrounded by demons and vampires.

His eyes flashing amber, he pulled out his wand and yelled a spell that filled the alley in a bright light, and he closed his eyes against the flash. As he opened them again, he saw several piles of ashes were the vampires had been, and the demons were staring dumbly, back and forth between Buffy's slumped form, the smoking ash-piles and himself. Remus held out his palm and a large ball of flames started to form into it, which he hurled at the nearest demon who was flayed to death, going up in flames with an anguished scream. The rest of the demons seemed to wake up from their various states of shock and scattered, running for their lives. Remus barely noticed this- neither did he pay any attention or mind to how easy it had been to use his wandless- seemingly rather deadly- magic, even though it used to drain all his resources when used in the past- he only had eyes for his hopefully, soonto be wife.

"Buffy?" He quickly rushed forwards and put Buffy in his lap, pulling out his wand again as he looked over the damage that had been made. He quickly mumbled a basic healing charm that fixed the worst of the damage made, and Buffy's eyes fluttered open. Remus smiled, relieved.

"Hey you," Buffy said weakly, trying to sit up. "Ouch."

"Hey yourself. Don't ever scare me like that."

Buffy tried to grin, but it came out more like a grimace. "I'll try, but no promises." Suddenly, she got sight of the still smoking pile of ashes around them and she raised her eyebrows. "And what happened to the vamps?" She got sight of the smoking- and very badly smelling- demon corpse. "And the demons?"

Remus flushed, scratching his neck in a mixture of embarrassment and confusion. "Well...eh...I got kind of mad?" He shrugged. "And I guess the werewolf side of me took over? You know, instincts? Protect the ones you love and what not?" Then he frowned. "And I think my powers have grown. Somehow. Someway. Which is cool. And odd. But not entirely unwelcome."

Buffy grinned. "You're my hero." Her smile faded, as she accepted her own wand from Remus' who'd summoned it from one of the alley's more dark corners, and started to heal herself, fixing what hadn't been fixed with Remus' spell. "And I'm so sorry I canceled our wedding. I totally didn't mean it! You know that! Right?"

"Right," Remus agreed, even though he'd been far from certain.

"I was just so tired of things never going our way," Buffy continued slowly. "Evil undead attacking from every direction. And now it seems as if they'll come even more often as they hold quite a grudge because of the whole-making-all-the-potentials-into-Slayers-deal. I knew that would come back and bite us in the ass. I knew it was too good to be true. Of course evil will retaliate by becoming even more evil so the very tired and occasionally very crankySlayer won't ever get the break she wants and needs."

Remus chuckled as Buffy kept ranting on and on about how it was never fair and how she was so going to kick evil's ass to hell and back for ruining her wedding day.

"- And now the wedding will have to be postponed because I see no joy in going back to a trashed home and cake and presents and a priest that must be freaking out... God, I hate this. Planning the wedding was a lot of work- and now I have to do it all over again. Not that I can understand why." She pouted. "I hate being all planned and organized. It never works anyway."

Remus grinned and then suddenly got a weird gleam in his eyes, and he gave a highly confused Buffy a conspiratorial grin, before leaning over and whispering something in her ear. Buffy's eyes widened and she stared at him in a mixture of disbelief, shock and delight.

"We can't possibly do that...can we?"

Remus just grinned in answer, and slowly, a grin started to form on Buffy's face too.

"Always a marauder, huh?" She said, chuckling at Remus who stood up and gave her a mock-bow, before pulling her to her feet and apparating away together with a slight 'POP'.

**

* * *

**

"So...cake repaired," Willow said brightly and gestured at the wedding cake which was now standing up again, albeit unsteadily- only to have her shoulders slump as the cake seemed to collapse upon itself and fall to the floor with a smack. "Crap."

Xander took up a notebook from his pocket and put an 'x' on it with a pencil. "Cake lost- check. Forty-five out of fifty presents ruined beyond repair- check. A priest that is currently cowering in fear in the bathroom and is praying by the toilet seat - check."

Joyce gave him a disapproving glance. "That is unfortunately not helping. Any sign of them yet?"

"No," Tara said, moving away from her place by the window where she had been on the look.out for a returning Buffy and Remus.

"Stupid dress," Illyria grumbled, where she was standing by the wall, angrily pulling the bow she had in her hair, desperately trying to get rid of it- or better yet- rip it to shreds. "Stupid tradition. Although I did enjoy the part where the demons came in. It reminded me of the ceremonies at home."

"Uhh...that's great, Illyria," Giles said, rubbing his face tiredly "Although no one else did. Enjoy it, I mean."

"Except me," Spike spoke up. "And me," Angel added.

Anya spoke up. "I don't think they're coming," she said bluntly.

"Anya!" Xander hissed.

"What?" Anya whined. "You're all thinking it! They're not coming. They blew off their own wedding." She frowned and turned to Xander. "If you even think about doing that to me when we tie the knot, just know I will make sure your little Xander can never come out and play again."

The room's occupants turned a sickly shade of green, while Xander looked like he was ready to puke, and he nodded, swallowing. "I'll remember that," he said shakily.

Anya grinned. "Great!" She clapped their hands together. "Now, since the wedding is apparently off, let's go and have lots and lots of orgasms!" She grabbed Xander by the hand and dragged him out of the door, waving meekly to the remaining Scoobies, who, if possible, had turned even greener.

"Too much information," Tara stuttered.

"I second that notion," Willow said.

"Uhh..." A short Potential-turned-Slayer around the age of nine gave them all confused looks. "What are orgasms?"

Silence.

Finally, Kennedy broke it by patting the girl on the head and speaking up. "We'll tell you when you're older."

**

* * *

**

**Las Vegas, specific location unknown**

Far away, completely unaware of the dilemma of having to give a girl 'the talk', Buffy and Remus were getting ready to say their final vows to each other, things suchas demons and evil and anything remotely abnormal even further away from their minds. They only had eyes for each other.

"I, Buffy Anne Summers, take thee, Remus John Lupin, to be my lawfully wedded husband, secure in the knowledge that you will be my constant friend, my partner, and my one true love and soul mate. On this special day, I give to you in the presence of God and all those in attendance, both in spirit and body, my sacred promise to stay by your side as your faithful wife, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, through the good times and the bad. I promise to love you without reservation, comfort you in times of distress, encourage you and support you, laugh with you and cry with you, grow with you in mind and spirit, always be open and honest with you, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live and beyond, in this world and the next," Buffy said softly, never once breaking eye contact with Remus, afraid that if she did, the moment would somehow be broken- this was what she'd been waiting for- dreaming of- ever since his proposal and long before that. They were taking the first steps to becoming a family.

"I, Remus John Lupin, take thee, Buffy Anne Summers, to be my lawfully wedded wife, secure in the knowledge that you will be my constant friend, my partner, and my one true love and soul mate. On this special day, I give to you in the presence of God and all those in attendance, both in spirit and body, my sacred promise to stay by your side as your faithful husband, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, through the good times and the bad. I promise to love you without reservation, comfort you in times of distress, encourage you and support you, laugh with you and cry with you, grow with you in mind and spirit, always be open and honest with you, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live and beyond, in this world and the next," Remus repeated, not daring to believe that he was actuallygoing to marry- no- wasmarrying -Buffy. They had both thought about making their own vows, but in the end decided to go with the traditional stuff- with some small adds and changes- nothing they could possibly have come up with would have been even close to being able to describe their feelings for each other.

He'd never even dared to dream about it, knowing all too well how whenever life seemed perfect or close to perfect, bad things tended to happen. But now it was coming to pass. It was almost too good to be true, and Remus swore silently to himself that he would never let anything come between them. She was the love of his life. And he was hers. They were meant to be. For all eternity. He barely even registered the celebrant talking, and as he put the ring on Buffy's finger, the words he was to say came out mechanically, so focused on his own thoughts and love for Buffy.

"With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment."

The celebrant's words were buzzing in Buffy's ears as she stared lovingly into Remus' shining, amber eyes.

"May this ring be blessed so that she who gives it and he who wears it may abide in peace, and continue in love until life's end."

Buffy placed the ring on Remus' finger without once looking down, and she repeated the vow, knowing that this was it. She was soon married. Within a few seconds, she would be Remus' wife. It was a scary. Overwhelming. And yet so. Bloody. Right. Oops...maybe she shouldn't even think bad words at the moment...ah, what the hell! Scratch that! The Powers That Be or God or whoever or whatever ruled up there owed her some leeway. No. A lot of leeway. They owed her. Big time. And she already knew she and Remus were meant to be. She didn't need a ring on her finger to know that. Even though it was a very nice, and very welcomed added bonus to that whole destined-to-be-soul mates-stuff.

"With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment."

The Celebrant grinned widely as he clapped his hands together.

"May you be prepared to continue to give, be able to forgive and experience more and more joy with each passing day, with each passing year. Remus and Buffy, you are now beginning your married life together, and I - we - hope that you may have loving assistance from your family, the constant support of friends, and a long life with good health and everlasting love. In so much as you have consented to live forever together in wedlock, and have witnessed the same before this company, having given and pledged their troth, each to the other, and having declared same by the giving and receiving of a ring, I pronounce that they are husband and wife. You may now seal the promises you have made with each other with a kiss."

Remus and Buffy's lips met, and all their feelings for each other were passed down in that kiss, and in their mind's eye, they could almost see the other's soul and heart.

"I love you," Buffy whispered, teary eyed. "And I you," Remus said hoarsely, kissing her again. And again. And again.

* * *

**A/N: **Awww! They eloped! They're married! One chapter and one epiloge to go until next story... 

/Ida

* * *


	11. Escape

**Never the Same**

Chapter 11 – Escape.

DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything…

RATING: PG-13 (T) to R (M) - violence, language, angst, horror, possible mild sexual interactions, etc. If you can watch BTVS/AtS and read HP, I doubt you'll have any problem with this story.

TIMELINE: Sequel to "Out of the Blue" and "Red Horizon" (Part 3 in the series), and begin where we left in "Red Horizon" chapter 39, and a bit before BTVS season 7, though it's almost completely AU, with many changes from the real plot.

SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. Sequel to RH. _"You can run but you can't hide, evil finds you everywhere. Peace and quiet can no one provide, who said life was ever fair?" _Starting over is something that definitely falls into the 'easier said than done'-category. Buffy and Remus are doing their best to move on, and get used to the changes and the new turn their life has taken, but it's not easy...especially not when living on a Hellmouth.

CENTRAL PAIRING: Buffy/Remus

OTHER PAIRINGS: Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya

**Special Thanks to:** **My Beta –** CharmedChick

* * *

**Some nine months later...**

Sunnydale, March 29, 2005

"I HATE YOU!"

Remus winced, his wife's voice ringing loudly in his ears. Sometimes, enhanced hearing wasn't very welcome. At all. Especially when once wife who is the Slayer goes through labor.

"Ouch," he whimpered as he felt another bone in his hand get crushed. "Buffy, please..."

"Oh, STOP WHINING!" Buffy screamed between another push. "At least your lower regions aren't currently split open by something that feels like a sofa between your legs!"

Remus nodded, biting his lip hard to keep from screaming himself. as a werewolf, he was used to pain...but this was worse. Way worse. "You have a point," he managed to get out. "But- OUCH!" Buffy had just given his hand another bone-breaking crush, and the doctor gave him a look of sympathy, but quickly returned her attention to Buffy.

"You're doing great, Mrs. Lupin," she said encouragingly. "It will be over soon- just one more push. This is actually an easy labor- most first children takequite a bit longer to deliver- "

Buffy gave the doctor a look that could kill, but said nothing, deciding to focus on her already suffering husband's hand again as another contraction hit.

"OUCH!" Remus yelped again as Buffy crushed another bone, and he turned to the doctor with teary eyes. "Please," he begged. "You're not making her feel better. Believe me."

Buffy let out a loud scream, and then, suddenly, the room was filled with a baby's cry, and Remus quickly pulled his hand from Buffy's grip, sighing with relief. "Thank Merlin...," he groaned, turning to look at the small bundle that was currently being cleaned up by one of the nurses. He completely forget the pain in his aching hand as he saw the baby- his baby- for the first time.

"Congratulations," the nurse said, as she wrapped the now silent baby into a pink blanket, and placed it in Buffy's waiting arms. "It's a girl."

"She's perfect," Buffy breathed, as she held the little girl close to her chest, and looked up at Remus with tears in her eyes. "She's beautiful."

Remus met Buffy's look and smiled. "That she is," he agreed, leaning closer and placing a finger (from the hand that had not been crushed) in the baby-girl's firm, yetsoft grip.

"Hey," he whispered. "I'm your daddy. And this is your mommy," he looked up at Buffy, who smiled through tears of joy. "We love you so much."

"Have you decided on a name yet?" The nurse asked, quietly, not wanting to interrupt the small family.

"Yeah," Buffy breathed. "Sarah. Sarah Genevieve Summers-Lupin."

* * *

****

Sunnydale, July 11, 2009

"Hey, Sarah," Buffy whispered to her daughter from her hospital bed. "Come and say hello to your little sister."

Sarah Genevieve Summers-Lupin walked over to her mom hesitantly, barely noticing as her father lifted her up so she'd see better. She wrinkled her nose.

"That's my sister?" She said, cocking her head to the side as she took in the wrinkly, small, red-faced bundle in her mother's arms curiously. Remus laughed.

"Yes, Sarah. That's your sister. Phoebe Marie Summers-Lupin. Do you want to hold her?"

Sarah's eyes grew round. "Can I?" She breathed, looking adorably scared and excited at the same time.

"Of course," Remus said, placing Sarah on the bed beside her mother.

"But...she's so...tiny."

"I promise you won't squash her," Buffy said, carefully putting down Phoebe in her sister's arms. "There...hold her head...like that...yes, that's right."

Sarah looked down in her smaller sisters large blinking eyes. And her heart melted.

"She's so pretty," she said, sounding awwed, as she massaged Phoebes cheek with her finger.

"She is, isn't she?" Remus agreed, placing a hand on Sarah's shoulder, and looking over at his wife who grinned tiredly at him.

"Hey," Sarah said to Phoebe quietly. "I'm Sarah. We're gonna play together, real soon," she said. "And I'm gonna teach you stuff and always protect you," she swore. "'Cause I'm your sister."

* * *

****

Azkaban Prison, July 30, 1993

The walls of the only wizarding prison in Britain were cold and bare. Here, in the lower levels, near the catacombs, only the most feared villains resided. Those who'd done crimes so unforgivable that they would never get to see the light of day, ever again. One of these prisoners were Sirius Orion Black, sentenced for life for being a Death Eater, for conspiring with Voldemort and other Death Eaters, for betrayal and aiding in the murder of James and Lily Potter, and for murdering Peter Pettigrew and twelve muggles. What no one knew though was that Sirius Black was innocent of all these crimes. And he was currently preparing to transform into a dog, large as the grim and black as night, trying to ignore the Dementors' presence nearby.

He cast a glance at the Daily Prophet-newspaper that had been thrown into a corner of his cell and read so many times that he knew it by heart. Especially one article...an article that had captured his unwavering attention, and was also the reason for why Sirius Black was about to escape this hell on earth.

Ministry of Magic Employee Scoops Grand Prize

Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, has one the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw. A delighted Mr. Weasley told the Daily Prophet, 'We will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a curse breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank.'  
The Weasley family will be spending a month in Egypt, returning for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley children currently attend.

Now one might wonder why an article like that would capture someone like Sirius Black's attention. Well, in truth, it wasn't the article, but rather the photograph that came with it. A photograph of the entire Weasley family. A photograph that also contained the youngest son, Ron Weasley's pet rat, Scabbers. A rat who was missing one toe...a rat who wasn't a real rat, but rather a rat-animagus named Peter Pettigrew...the Peter Pettigrew who was believed to have been one of Sirius Black's victims, but was in truth the real villain and guilty of all the crimes Sirius had been accused of. And Sirius Black wanted revenge.

The thought of his innocence and vengeance was the only thing that had kept him sane during his twelve years stay in this prison. But now, it was over. He transformed into his dog form, Padfoot, his tongue hanging out of his mouth as he sensed how the Dementors moved further away from the cell, as they no longer could feel a human presence they could feed off inside. He easily slipped out between the bars- a feat that was possible thanks to the starvation he'd suffered through the years; he was barely more than skin (well, fur, in this case) and bones- and set off down the echoing chilling corridors.

Down, down, and even further down until he came to a set of stairs which he quickly passed down- and he was in the catacombs. Filled with new energy, he ran down the dirt-filled passages- in the distance, he could se light. Light! And suddenly, he stood by a large, heavily bolted metal door, with a barred window, from which moonlight shone in. And Sirius felt defeat once again. He should have known it wouldn't be that easy. He had no wand, so he could not blow the door up, nor any super strength so he could burst right through it. He was underfed, tired, dirty...and helpless. His entire careful planning had been for nothing. He knew it had seemed too good to be true. Padfoot hung his head, looking down at the muddy ground. Wait a second...mud? Padfoot started to dig, deeper and deeper...it was only mud! Mud and sand and dirt! He let out a happy bark as he realized what this meant. He kept digging, the dirt, mud and sand forming a large heap behind him, as he came further down, and forwards...he was under the door...and he was out.

Padfoot couldn't believe his luck. He looked up at the moonlight and transformed back into a man. He'd never felt so happy, so grateful and so relieved in his entire life. Sirius sank down to his knees, burying his dirty hands in the sand.

"Thank you!" He cried. "Thank you!" He looked forwards, and saw something shimmer in the distance, far, far away, down the cliffs. The sea. And even further away, he saw light. Light, coming from land. Transforming back, he quickly ran down the hard, sharp cliffs and rocks, until he found himself on the beach. And Padfoot jumped straight into the water.

COLD! Cold, cold, cold! And it was so welcome! The cold water, hitting his fur, washing out the dirt, overwhelming his senses. He could feel again! Instinct kicked in, and his legs started to kick, and he swam forwards, one inch at the time. He tried not to think about how far he truly was from land. Then he'd never make it. As he swam, he felt the fresh, salty air invade his lungs, and the smell of it invade his nose. And he felt memories he never even knew he had invade his brain and flash pass his eyes. Happy memories, that had been lost when in the presence of the Dementors.

A man, flying- no, standing- dancing - on a broomstick...a blonde girl, chasing a turkey around a classroom...a man, with eyes in a shiny amber, doing a striptease...another man, with greasy hair, hiccupping out pink bubbles...and...was that himself?...running on the stands shouting commentaries to the game that went on below...a girl, with blazing green eyes rocking a baby with messy black hair...himself, kissing a girl with the bluest eyes he'd ever seen under a star-filled sky...

Names flew past his mind quicker than lightning... James...Buffy...Remus...Snape...Lily...Harry...Eliza. And then, a short, slightly fat man with cheese stuck between his teeth- and Sirius felt anger fill his entire body and he wanted to scream. Peter. Pushing all thoughts of happiness away from his mind, he focused his entire soul on revenge. New pictures passed by. Pictures he knew all too well. Pictures that haunted his dreams and invaded his conscience.

Remus...transforming into a werewolf...Buffy...standing frozen in front of a Boggart...James bloodied, beaten...Lily, her red hair cascaded down her pale face...both dead. Harry...a large scar formed as a lightning bolt on his forehead...himself, convincing James and Lily to switch Secret Keeper...himself, being cornered by Peter...Peter blowing up a street...Eliza being thrown back from the shockwave...Eliza being crushed by a large block of stone...himself laughing maniacally as he was taken away...

Padfoot let out a loud growl. Peter. He would pay.

* * *

****

Magnolia Crescent, August 7, 1993

He had no idea what he was doing here. He should be out, hunting Wormtail, but something had compelled him to find his Godson instead...Harry Potter. The boy in question was currently several streets away from his 'home' at Privet Drive, and was rummaging through his trunk, in search of something. Of what, Sirius, in his dog-form, didn't care about in the least, as he was completely transfixed on the boy's face. Merlin...he looked so much like James...and his eyes...his eyes...just like Lily's.

Suddenly, Harry straightened up, and looked around, frowning slightly, and Sirius froze in his place, not really knowing whether he wanted Harry to see him or not. Harry bent over his trunk again, but just as Sirius was about to relax, both in disappointment and relief, he stood up once more, his hand clenched on his wand, as he squinted at the black alleyway.

"Lumos," he muttered, and a light appeared at the end of his wand, which held it high over his head, and Sirius froze once more as the light hit him straight in the eyes. Harry stepped backwards in shock, stumbling, then tripping as his legs hit the trunk, and his wand flew out of his hand...he flung out an arm to break his fall, and landed, hard, in the gutter -

Sirius almost let out a bark of shock as there was a loud bang and a sudden blinding light...Harry rolled back onto the pavement, just in time, as a gigantic triple-decker, violently purple bus screeched to a halt exactly where he'd just been lying. The Knight Bus.

Sirius quickly backed into the bushes, out of sight, almost forgetting he was in his dog form, as a conductor in a purple uniform leapt out of the bus and began to speak.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this eve - "

If he'd been human, Sirius would have snorted at Stan's look as he caught sight of Harry on the ground. Harry snatched up his wand again and scrambled to his feet. "What were you doin' down there?" said Stan, confusion clearly evident in his voice as he scratched himself behind a large protruding ear.

"Fell over," Harry said.

"'Choo fall over for?" sniggered Stan.

"I didn't do it on purpose," said Harry, annoyed, and then he quickly turned around and stares at the alleyway between the garage and fence were Sirius had been a few seconds ago. He backed further into the bushes.

"'Choo lookin' at?" said Stan.

"There was a big black thing," said Harry, pointing uncertainly into the gap. "Like a dog... but massive..."

"Woss that on your 'ead?" Sirius heard Stan asked, dumbly.

"Nothing," said Harry quickly, flattening his hair over his scar.

"Woss your name?"

"Neville Longbottom."

Sirius'- Padfoot's - eyes almost bulged out of his head. Neville Longbottom? Like Stan would fall for that...if he did, he must be stupider than...than...well...something.

"So - so this bus, did you say it goes anywhere?" Harry asked.

"Yep," said Stan proudly, "anywhere you like, long's it's on land."

Huh. Apparently he was that stupid.

"'Can't do nuffink underwater. 'Ere, you did flag us down, dincha? Stuck out your wand 'and, dincha?"

"Yes," said Harry quickly. "Listen, how much would it be to get to London?"

"Eleven Sickles, but for firteen you get 'or chocolate, and for fifteen you get an 'ot water bottle an' a toofbrush in the color of your choice."

Sirius watched as Harry rummaged once more in his trunk, extracted his money bag, and shoved some gold into Stan's hand, and then lifted his trunk, with the help from Stan, with Hedwig's cage balanced on top, up the steps of the bus.

Sirius wished he could see what was happening inside...suddenly, there was another tremendous BANG, and Sirius let out a bark of surprise and shock. The bus was gone. Sirius hung his head, and slowly padded away down Magnolia Crescent.

* * *

****

Sunnydale, August 7, 2014

"Your turn, daddy," nine year old Sarah (Summers-)Lupin said, pulling impatiently in her father's sweater.

"I know," Remus said. "I'm just trying to come up with something..." He was currently sitting with his wife and two daughters in the living room of Revello Drive, now home of the Summers-Lupin family, playing a game. Joyce had long sincemoved out, now living in LA, and Faith had moved out as well, living in her own apartment across town. He gave Phoebe, his five-year old daughter a smile- she was currently slumped against her mother's side, yawning slightly.

"Daddy..." Sarah complained, pouting and pulling at his sweater once more.

"I know, I know...oh, I've got something." His amber eyes twinkled. "I have never gotten drunk," he said, and then took a piece of chocolate. Buffy rolled her eyes and took a piece of chocolate as well.

"Daddy," Sarah whined. "That's cheating! You can't just lie and say you have never been drunk when you have been drunk only because you want a piece of chocolate! That's not how the 'I have never'-game works!"

Remus laughed and ruffled up Sarah's hair. "Says who? I happen to like chocolate! So what if I bend the rules a little?"

Buffy laughed. "Always a marauder, huh?" She put an arm around Phoebe's shoulder. "I have to say, this game is so much better with chocolate than it is with drinking."

"I second that," Remus said, grinning at his wife. "Your turn, Phoebe."

Phoebe yawned sleepily again. "Okay...I have never- " Another yawn.

"Maybe we should call this a night," Buffy suggested. "Phoebe's tired, and I'm feeling pretty beat myself."

Sarah pouted. "Just one more round...please?" She begged.

"Nope," Remus said, wrapping up the chocolate and putting it in his pocket. "We can do it again tomorrow night."

Buffy gave him an impish grin. "If there's any chocolate left by then, that is."

Remus flushed. "I'm not that bad, am I?"

"YES YOU ARE!" The entire room chorused.

"Alright, alright," Remus said, putting his hands up in the air. "But you are just as bad," he said, pointing at Sarah, who gave him an innocent look.

"Maybe I should take that," Buffy said, taking out the chocolate from Remus' pocket. "And put it somewhere safe, where no chocoholics can reach it." She gave Remus a kiss, and put her hands around his neck.

"OH, GROSS!" Sarah and Phoebe chorused. Remus and Buffy grinned.

"You'll sing another tune when you're older," Buffy sing-songed. Sarah did a grimace.

"Blech. Never. Boys are just...yucky." She wrinkled her nose and Phoebe nodded tiredly in agreement.

"Yes. Yucky."

Remus chuckled and heaved his youngest up on is shoulders, making her squeal in delight. "Alright. To the bathroom and the toothbrushes. We don't want little demons to settle down in your mouths, right?"

"Nope," Sarah said, running past his father and sister into the bathroom. "'Cause demons are bad!"

Buffy grinned, slipping her hand into Remus' and leaning her head against his shoulders as they followed their daughter inside.

'Life is good.'

* * *

**A/N:** And that was the last chapter of NTS - only the epilogue left! As a last little favour for the fantatical, if you haven't already checked it out on my website, that is, and as a little memorial for those who have passed away in my series this far, I'll post Eliza's, Lily's and James' character profiles plus entires they weote in their Hogwarts yearbook here - note Lily's and Eliza's middle names as the same as Sarah's and Phoebe's - Remus and Buffy's tribute to their passed away friends...

/Ida

* * *

**Character profiles for...**

_...Eliza (Genevieve) de Mort_  
Status: Deceased.  
Place of living at time of death: With Siruius Black.  
Social status at time of death: Engaged to Sirius Black.  
Birthday: December 1. Day of death: November 1, 1981.  
Family: Mother (deceased), father (deceased).  
Special powers and/or abilities: Witch. (Magic.)  
Occupation (at time of death): A part of the Magical Law Enforcement  
Worth mentioning: Eliza's father killed her mother, and enjoyed torturing her daughter.

Life: Eliza de Mort came to Hogwarts due to a complicated homelife, and a horrifying past, to try and escape her father, and her memories of him.Unfortunately, her past caught up with her in the form of a Boggart, and after a visit from Mr de Mort, Eliza thought her newfound freedom was over. She was proven wrong, as her newlymade friends and boyfriend, Sirius, stood by her, and Eliza remained at Hogwarts, from where she graduated. She fought bravely in the war against Voldemort, hating the evil he stood for and trying to prove she was nothing like her father. Too bad this couldn't save her from him: Eliza found herself trapped, after her father kidnapped her with the intention of teaching her a lesson once and for all. However, Eliza managed to escape, and made her way back to the wizarding world - but too late. Eliza found Sirius, on a street, being cornered by Peter Pettigrew, who screamed something about Sirius being a traitor. Confused, Eliza could do nothing to prevent her fate as the street exploded, and buried her under the falling debris, crushing her to death. Her fate remains unknown to all except Sirius and Peter - none of who is in any state - or has any wish - to reveal the truth.

_...Lily (Marie) Evans Potter_  
Status: Deceased.  
Place of living at time of death: Godric's Hollow.  
Social status at time of death: Married, with a son.  
Birthday: July 9. Day of death: October 31, 1981.  
Family: Mother (deceased), father (deceased), sister, Petunia Dursley, husband, James Potter (deceased), son, Harry.  
Special powers and/or abilities: Witch. (Magic. Espescially adept at Charms and Potions).  
Occupation (at time of death): Unspeakable.  
Worth mentioning: Researched the Veil of death at the Department of Mysteries.

Life: Lily Potter had always hated bullies - she had always hated one James Potter. But when she entered her seventh year had Hogwarts, something had happened to the earlier obnoxious thick-headed prat, and Lily found herself felling in love. James Potter and Lily Evans became the Fairytale couple of Gryffindor, as James proposed on Graduation day, and the young couple married. Despite the war, they managed to find their own light, when Harry James Potter, the mirror image of his father, but with his mothers green eyes, was born. Howver, their happiness met its end, when the family was targeted when a prophecy was revealed. James and Lily hid under the Fidelius charm with Peter Pettigrew as their Secret Keeper. Unfortunately, he was not as loyal as they thought, and on Halloween 1981, Lily Evans Potter was killed by Voldemort, dying bravely while protecting her son, who became the Boy-Who-Lived and vanquished the Dark Lord thanks to his mother's selfless sacrifice as a last, powerful token of love.

_...James (Harold) Potter  
_Status: Deceased.  
Place of living at time of death: Godric's Hollow.  
Social status at time of death: Married, with a son.  
Birthday: April 20. Day of death: October 31, 1981.  
Family: Mother, Lorraine (deceased), father, Harold (deceased), wife, Lily Evans (deceased), son, Harry.  
Special powers and/or abilities: Animagus (a stag). Wizard (Magic. Espescially adept at Transfiguration).  
Occupation (at time of death): Auror.  
Worth mentioning: Defied Voldemort three times, along with Lily.

Life: James Potter was the unspoken leader of the Marauders, and alsoinsanely in love with one Lily Evans, a muggle-born witch who never gabe him a second glance. That all changed, when they entered their seventh year. They fell in love, and got married - their happiness seemed to know no bounds, despite the raging war, as Lily announced she was pregnant. On July 31,1980,Harry James Potter was born and the couple got their happy ending. Right? Unfortunately, that was not the case, as the Potter family got targeted and had to go into hiding, when a prophecy that could have applied to Harry was made. However, their Secret Keeper, Peter Pettigrew, betrayed them, and on October 31, 1981, Voldemort came to their home in Godric Hollow, and after a furious battle, James fell, protecting his wife and son until his last breath.

**Hogwarts Yearbook 1978!  
**_Entries written two days before Graduation, under supervision of the students Head of House  
(and friends who can't not put their noses where ot doesn't belong)_

**Eliza de Mort, personal entry**  
Middle name/nickname: Genevieve. I...guess I think it's rather beautiful...kind of/'Liza, Liz…  
House: Gryffindor (transferred from Beauxbatons)  
House status: The member with a mystery. cheeky grin  
Social status: Dating Sirius Black. For some strange reason. smirk  
Broom status: Nope. I left it at home…and don't you dare say "You can borrow mine," Sirius Black!  
Wand status: No comment. (If I say anything, Sirius is going to make it sound dirty. Sirius frowns, looking wounded)  
Motto: "To the stars through difficulty"  
Subjects: Charms, Potions, DADA, Ancient Runes, Herbology, COMC, Arithmancy, Transf, Muggle studies.  
Favourite pasttime: Being with my friends, being with Sirius...  
Closest friends: Sirius Black, Lily Evans, Buffy Summers, James Potter, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew. (thanks, for being my friends)  
"Fond" memories: The marauders, the pranks, Dumbledore (thank you for helping me), Broomsticks and balls, Truth or dare, turkey McGonagall (oh, come on, professor! Mention one person who didn't think that was funny! … You? Oh.), Valentine's day, Sirius many stupid but yet adoringly cute comments, the Astronomy Tower (Sirius – you might be horny like hell all the time, but you do know your stuff… What now, professor? Censuring? Why? It's the truth! … Detention? Oh, hell.), you guys standing up for me and trusting me…  
Memories I'd rather forget: My father and my boggart (enough said).  
Describe yourself with three words: Secluded, understanding, myself. smile  
According to her House-mates, Eliza de Mort is Most Likely To: Keep Sirius Black on a tight leash.

**Lily Evans, personal entry**  
Middle name/nickname: Marie/Lils, Lily-kins...sigh  
House: Gryffindor  
House status: Prefect (YES! My own bathroom! Eh…no…of course that wasn't why I accepted the position…sweatdrop), then Headgirl.  
Social status: Dating James Potter (though Merlin knows why…what, professor? You thought my entry would be mature? Blinks Eh…isn't it?)  
Broom status: No. I keep my feet firmly on the ground. (Unless James is steering.) What? What's so funny? Looks down at entry, blushes Oh…  
Wand status: Willow, 10 ¼ inches, swishy.  
Motto: "Love conquers all", and "Treat others as you would like to be treated"...and yes, Sirius, James: That does include Slytherins.  
Subjects: Transf, History of Magic, Herbology, DADA, COMC, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Potions, Charms (and I plan to take an extra NEWT in Muggle studies)  
Favourite pasttime: Reading, writing, spending time with my friends and with James.  
Closest friends: James Potter, Buffy Summers, Eliza de Mort, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew.  
"Fond" memories: Getting my letter and coming to Hogwarts, Valentine's day, the prank I participated in (even though the rest were funny too…even you have to admit that, professor), James growing up, reading by the lake, getting to use the prefect bathroom, Dumbledore's welcoming words (he's barking mad, but brilliant. What, professor? … But that was a compliment!), Truth or Dare couchturkeyMcGonagallcough, classes, writing essays (no, I'm not mad. Honestly.).  
Memories I'd rather forget: The Slugclub. Urk.  
Describe yourself with three words: Nice. Friendly. Caring.  
According to her House-mates, Lily Evans is Most Likely To: Succeed.

**James Potter, personal entry**  
Middle name/nickname: Harold. It's horrible. (Sorry, dad...)/Prongs, Prongsy, Prongise-Pooh…urk.  
House: Gryffindor (Slytherin suck! Eh…sorry professor.)  
House status: Captain and Chaser of the Quidditch team (MY TEAM ROCK!) Headboy (What were you thinking, professor McGonagall? … It was Dumbledore's deciscion? Well, what was he thinking then? … He wasn't? Oh.)  
Social status: Dating Lily Evans (the one and only grins)  
Broom status: The most expensive and coolest there is. Plus, several in reserve. What do you mean, I'm bragging?  
Wand status: Mahogny, 11 inches, pliable.  
Motto: Eh..."Fortune favours the brave"? shrugs Or, oh, I've got one: "It's the choices we make that define who we are."  
Subjects: Transf, DADA, Charms, COMC, Herbology, Potions, Ancient Runes, Astronomy, Muggle-studies.  
Favourite pasttime: LILY! Grins And PRANKING! And FLYING! And EXPLORING!  
Closest friends: Lily Evans, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Buffy Summers, Eliza de Mort.  
"Fond" memories: The marauders, the very secret-and-unfortunately-confiscated-piece of paper…looks up at McGonagall who frowns…that says nothing of importance, my very-secret-cloak – that has never been used, professor, I assure you crosses fingers, becoming Prongs, turkey McGonagall (sorry, professor, but it was funny), the Quidditch (team), the snitch, the two-way-mirrors (no, professor, I won't tell you what it is either),all the pranks, Hogsmeade weekends, the forest, meeting Lily, worshipping Lily from afar, teasing Lily, making Lily mad, making up with Lily, making out with Lily…everything LILY! Yeah. I love my Lils. Hugs Lily who blushes  
Memories I'd rather forget: Mrs Norris, homework, broomsticks and balls, the Whomping-Willow incident (Sirius, you're a real prat sometimes), being a prat and ruffling up my hair (Lils, why couldn't you've told me the only thing I had to do was to grow up? You did? Oh…)  
Describe yourself with three words: Daring. Gryffindor. Marauder.  
According to his House-mates, James Potter is Most Likely To: Become famous.

* * *

**A/N:** See ya in the epilogue!

/Ida

* * *


	12. Epilogue

**Never the Same**

Epilogue.

DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Harry Potter to J.K. Rowling. I don't own anything…

RATING: PG-13 (T) to R (M) - violence, language, angst, horror, possible mild sexual interactions, etc. If you can watch BTVS/AtS and read HP, I doubt you'll have any problem with this story.

TIMELINE: Sequel to "Out of the Blue" and "Red Horizon" (Part 3 in the series), and begin where we left in "Red Horizon" chapter 39, and a bit before BTVS season 7, though it's almost completely AU, with many changes from the real plot.

SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover. Sequel to RH. _"You can run but you can't hide, evil finds you everywhere. Peace and quiet can no one provide, who said life was ever fair?"_ Starting over is something that definitely falls into the 'easier said than done'-category. Buffy and Remus are doing their best to move on, and get used to the changes and the new turn their life has taken, but it's not easy...especially not when living on a Hellmouth.

CENTRAL PAIRING: Buffy/Remus

OTHER PAIRINGS: Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya

**Special Thanks to:** **My Beta -** CharmedChick

* * *

**  
Sunnydale, August 30, 2014.**

Remus' POV

When I showed up at Buffy's doorstep, that day in early February, I knew everything had changed - forever. I hated myself when I told her the bitter truth and saw the pain in her eyes - Lily and James were...gone. And I hated myself even more when I told her Eliza was missing; today we know she's dead...and that Sirius had betrayed us all. I know she always thought that if anyone of us would join Voldemort, it would be Peter, and I saw how it pained her when I told her he was dead too. Murdered. By Sirius.

I know she doesn't want to believe it. I know a part of her will always deny it, and so will a part of me. We haven't talked about them in a long time...it simply hurts too much, and even if I know it will never happen, I hope someday the pain will go away, and we can remember them without having tears in our eyes.

"Daddy!" Sarah bounces up to me, and I smile. Sarah. Mine and Buffy's oldest daughter. Nine years, ten in March next year.

"What is it, sweetie?" I ask, and smile at her. Always so full of life, so full of energy. Can never sit still for more than three seconds at the most - always has to have something to do.

It must be the Slayer blood.

"Can we go to the park?" She begs, and smiles that little bright smile she knows I can't resist. I sigh, knowing there's no point arguing. We worry sometimes, Buffy and I, that maybe we've spoiled her a bit, because she's our first born. But we know it's not true. Sarah has a good heart, and knows what's out there - and that is enough to make her more mature than she seems at times.

"Fine. Have you seen your sister, then?"

Sarah nods.

"She's in the hall, waiting for you!"

I laugh a little. Sarah knew she'd get her what she wanted, and therefore, wasted no time in getting her sister out in the hall to get dressed.

"Alright. Let's go then. Where are you going?"

Sarah had started to bounce up the stairs.

"I'm just gonna show mommy something first." She says, too innocently for my tastes, and I look at her suspiciously. Why have I a feeling I'm not going to like whatever she's going to show?

I sigh again, but nods.

"Alright then, but hurry."

She smiles brightly, and then she's gone. I shake my head, and goes out in the hall to mine and Buffy's youngest, Phoebe. Phoebe is more like me, when I was little, I think, while Sarah is the replica of Buffy. Phoebe, Phoebs, is blonde, shy and quiet, while Sarah is dark-haired, wild and always talking about something or someone. Even though they're so different, I know Sarah loves her sister, and would protect her with her life if necessary. And Phoebe feels the same about her.

After I've dressed Phoebe (it doesn't take long), I poke my head into the living room, where Buffy sits at the couch, obviously in thought.

"Buffy?"

"Yeah?" She looks up.

"I'm taking the kids to the park for awhile. Do you want to come?"

She shakes her head with a small smile playing on her lips.

"Nah, I'll just stay here...rest for awhile. I'm going out patrolling tonight."

I nod.

"Just take it easy - you know what I think about it..."

Buffy rolls her eyes - I know I say it every time she's going out patrolling or slaying, and I can't blame her for thinking I'm being overprotective. I know she can take care of herself, and before the kids, I wouldn't have said anything, but now... I know she's tried to quit, but it's in her...she can quit being the Slayer just as much as I can quit being a werewolf. It doesn't change the fact that I'm terrified that one night, she won't returnâ€¦

"I know," she says.

"Mommy!" Sarah comes bouncing down the stairs again, running into the living room. Her chocolate brown hair (which she inherited from Buffy - blonde is not her original hair color, believe it or not), bounces on her back, her crystal blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Look what I can do!" She holds up a stake high in the air, and...wait a second. Stake!

"SARAH LUPIN, PUT THAT DOWN IN THIS INSTANT!" Buffy shrieks. "THAT IS NOT A TOY! YOU COULD POKE SOMEONE'S EYE OUT! YOUR SISTER'S FOR EXAMPLE!" I understand Buffy's panic. Sarah is the worst example of trouble/mischief-maker I've ever seen, (excluding myself and the marauders...) and will most likely end up in big trouble one day. Joy.

"Where did you get that?" She asks, a little calmer now.

Sarah looks at her with big innocent eyes.

"It was just laying there."

I snort. She really thinks we'll buy that? More likely, she's been finding Buffy's trunk with her Slayer stuff...for the thousandth time. We've must've hidden that trunk everywhere by now...and still, she always manages to find it. Maybe I should transfigure it into something? But then we'll probably forget what I turned it into, and it will be forever lost...

"Give it to me," Buffy says.

"But mommy..." Oh no - not the puppy-dog eyes! I regret teaching her those...but it was only to make Buffy buy more candy (chocolate - we are all chocoholics, although the kids - especially Sarah - and I more than Buffy) - not to use it to blackmail both of us, as soon as she gets the chance.

"No," Buffy says, "give it to me, or I won't let you go to the park with daddy and Phoebe."

I grin. That's the way to go, Buffy. Sarah's eyes widen.

"You wouldn't!" She says, and I roll my eyes. Of course she wouldn't. But Sarah doesn't know that - and Merlin forbids she ever finds out. Then we're definitely doomed.

"Oh, I would!" Buffy says, and give her THAT look. (The look which says 'don't mess with me or else' - she's really good at it - and it works on me too. Buffy can be scary sometimes.)

"But mommy...I was just going to show you how to stake a vampire!"

"You don't know how to stake a vampire," I say. She doesn't, right? Suddenly, I'm not so sure...Sarah has many strong sides, but lying is one of her weaker ones.

"Do too!" Sarah says now, and I can't help myself...when Sarah says that, it is a challenge...and a marauder never backs down from a challenge. Whether he's the calmer, more mature one or not.

"Do not!" I say, and I see Buffy hit herself at her forehead - she must be tired of our game by now. Happens at least once a week.

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do stop!" Buffy says, and suddenly takes a sharp breath, and I look at her worriedly.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

I look at her for a moment, searching her eyes after any trace of lying, but finally I nod. We turn around, just to see Sarah jump up, stake in hand and hit the 'heart' of a stuffed doll sitting on the couch. We blink.

"Alright, you do know how to stake a - " I start, and Sarah lights up.

" - doll," I finish, and smirks. Sarah pouts, and Buffy laughs.

"All right, enough you two," She says.

"How did you learn how to use a stake?"

Sarah reddens slightly (she got that from me - Buffy barely ever blushes), and scrapes with her naked toe at the floor, making invisible patterns.

"Well...?" Buffy ask, and smirks slightly.

"Ikindafollowedyouonpatrolonenight," she says quickly. It takes my brain three seconds to catch up what she says, and then...

"YOU DID WHAT!" I shriek. She must be lying, but I know she's not, even though I hope so.

Sarah shrinks together.

"SARAH LUPIN, LOOK ME IN THE EYES WHEN I TALK TO YOU!"

Sarah is still staring at the floor. Good. She should be ashamed - and scared - don't mess with the werewolf.

"Sarah, do as your father says," Buffy says, and Sarah looks up. Her eyes are filled with tears, and her lower lip is trembling. I open my mouth to answer, but no sounds come out. Not the tears! I can't stand my daughters cry...and I have to stay angry. Stay angry. Don't give in...

"Sarah, I..." I say, defeated. I couldn't stay angry. I'm interrupted when the door creeks open, and Phoebe stands in the doorway, thumb in her mouth. Her blue-grey eyes are widened and teary. I almost forgot she was waiting in the hall.

"Why is everyone screaming?" She asks, and Buffy sighs.

"Oh, Phoebs, we're not fighting," she says. "Your sister was just a bit stupid..."

"A bit?" I growl, but I know I'm not mad anymore. I can never stay mad long at my daughters. Especially not when they're crying. And definitely not both at the same time.

"I thought we were going to the park..." Phoebe mumbles, thumb still in mouth. Buffy tries to pull it out, but after two seconds, it's back in again. She'll never stop sucking her thumb.

"We are honey," I say, and grab her hand - her left, as her right is still in her mouth.

I look over to Sarah, expecting her to still be standing in shame, but...all tears - gone. The trembling lips - smiling like the sun itself. No traces that she was ever sad in the first place. The crocodile tears. Why am I not surprised?

I shake my head in defeat.

"Alright. The park. Let's go," I say, and give Buffy a kiss on the cheek, before leaving. Phoebe is at my right, holding my hand hard. Sarah is already out in the hallway.

"Be careful. No broken bones or scratched knees," Buffy says, and I smile.

"Never. Safe as a werewolf." Buffy raises her eyebrows, and I blush. I hate that.

"Alright, maybe not the best comparison..." I mumble, and find myself being pushed out of the door by Buffy.

"Get out. Get to the park before it gets dark."

I give her a quick kiss (trying to ignore Sarah's puking noises in the background), and then leave. The park, here we come.

* * *

Three hours later, we're almost home again. The kids had a good time, but I feel sorry for Mrs. Davies. Sarah had to go pull a prank on the poor woman again. I should have scolded her, but it was actually funny...and sometimes, I can't hide my marauding side. 

We're still laughing when we enter the house.

"Buffy!" I say. "You wouldn't believe what Sarah did to poor Mrs. Davies! She..." I stop in the middle of the sentence when I see Buffy has a guest. But not any guest. Dumbledore. Dumbledore in his turn looks very surprised over the two small children behind my back. He blinks. I'm just confused. Why is he here? I didn't really leave on good terms with the Headmaster, and we did break a lot of 'unwritten' rules to let me come to Buffy's world at all. So why is he here? I feel myself start to panic. What if he wants me to leave? What if I have to leave Buffy and the children? What if -

Phoebe, who pulls at my coat, interrupts me in my thoughts.

"Daddy," she says shyly with big eyes. "Is that Father Christmas?"

I blink. I probably would have laughed, if it had been anyone but Dumbledore, but since it is him, and therefore, it must be serious, I don't.

"Sarah," I say slowly, with serious voice. "Take your sister and go up to your room. Read her a story, and then go to bed."

Sarah knows better than protest when I use that voice (experiences from many attack and break-ins from bad guys), and does as I say. She sneaks a quick, slightly frightened look at Dumbledore, before disappearing up the stairs with Phoebe.

"Remus." Dumbledore sounds surprised.

"Dumbledore." I say.

Dumbledore smiles a bit.

"I see you and Buffy have been building a family," he says.

"Yes, so?" I know I'm being rude, but I can't help it. To me, Dumbledore represents pain, death, bad news, and war. Not safety, happiness, trust and that 'it's going to be alright' feeling I once felt for the old wizard.

Dumbledore smiles again.

"Could we move this to the living room, perhaps?"

He asks, and I nod.

"Sure." It's not like I can drive him out.

* * *

**A/N:** And another story is DONE! YAY! To some - or all - of you, this chapter might have felt familiar, and that is because the same chapter has already been posted as the epilogue for "Red Horizon", but from Buffy's point of view. This is for other readers benefit, that may want to skip NTS and go straight to part 4 - as much as I hate to admit it - it hasn't really brought any important points plot-wise, and is more of a fill-up story than anything else. Anyway, part 4 will be called "Come What May" and will take place in - you guess it - the wizarding world once again. I'll try to post it in seven days or so, and a wallpaper for CMW and updates of character profiles will be found at my LiveJournal and website - hopefully already tomorrow, but if not, the day after that. See you either there or in the next part. Until then! 

Love,

/Ida

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**  
**


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